Physically Proactive: Getting the Most Out of Your Next Annual Check-up
In just the same way that you need your car to pass an MOT test to keep it on the road, your body could do with an annual inspection so that you can either get a clean bill of health or address any issues that come to light.
Wellness is key
You can take precautions to cover the cost of medical treatment you might need at some point with healthcare schemes but it also make a lot of sense to understand the importance of wellness.
Many of us understandably consider the meaning of wellness as being the absence of illness, but wellness is a more sophisticated subject and state of health than simply not being sick.
The fundamental aspect about wellness is that it is something you can influence yourself in a number of different ways. Gaining too much weight and suffering from stress, as well as a lack of sleep and a diet that is too heavy on saturated fats and sugars, are prime examples of how your lifestyle and choices can directly impact your state of wellness.
Quality time
You probably lead a busy life and it is common knowledge how difficult it is to fix an appointment time with your doctor, so it is essential to get the most out of your annual visit for a check-up.
The general purpose of an annual check-up is basically to undertake a brief historical review of your medical history and the state of any ongoing issues, along with probably a physical exam and some cursory blood tests or a test of your urine sample.
What you also need to do in preparation for your visit to the doctor is to write down a set of symptoms that you want to discuss with them, as this is effectively a meeting where you have a window of opportunity to discuss any issues that are concerning you.
Writing down a series of bullet points that you want to run through with your doctor will help to maximise the efficiency of the appointment and also help you to avoid forgetting to ask any important questions that you would like their opinion or professional advice on.
Don’t avoid uncomfortable topics
Nobody relishes the prospect of talking to their doctor about sensitive and embarrassing issues such as incontinence and issues related to your sex life, but you should always be prepared to discuss these topics if you are going to get the most out of your annual check.
Doctors come across a wide range of deeply personal and awkward ailments on a daily basis and subjects like urinary incontinence should never be off-limits, even if it feels uncomfortable discussing them with someone else, even a medical professional.
Men understandably have a problem discussing erectile dysfunction but again this is definitely important to bring to the attention of your doctor, as this can be a physical sign that may also be a sign of arterial disease or some other medical condition that needs attention.
Your annual check-up is your best chance of getting your doctor’s undivided attention and a real opportunity to get to the root of any health problems that you might be experiencing before anything gets more serious.
Pro-active patients realise that in order to be able to live a long and healthy life you have a major part to play in the process of staying well, so make sure you firstly go for an annual check-up and secondly, ask all the questions that need to be asked.
Craig Marshall has work in the healthcare industry for many years. He always enjoys the chance to share his thoughts and advice to a cyber-audience. His observations and general suggestions have been posted on a number of different websites.
