Physicals and Why You Should Get One Every Year

Due to a variety of reasons - expense, inconvenience, etc. - most people have a hard time keeping up with their preventative health care. Even those who place a premium on eating right and getting exercise may not see their doctor as often as they should. Today, more people than ever are without a primary care physician at all. Even if this is the case for you, it's time to stop overlooking the importance of annual physicals. No one wants to spend the afternoon in a doctor's office, but a couple of hours once a year is hardly a major inconvenience for the sake of your health. Here are some of the reasons this checkup is so important.

Early Detection
If you've ever spoken with a mechanic, they will tell you that the earlier a problem can be diagnosed, the more they can do. The same principle holds true with your body. Disease that is caught early can often be treated successfully. When you wait until it has caused serious symptoms, it may be too late. Physicals are the health equivalent of getting a full service oil change. Your doctor will take a look at your vitals and perhaps run some tests. If nothing is wrong, then you'll have the peace of mind that comes with good health. If something is found, you can get it taken care of before it turns into something untreatable.

Warning Signs
Of course, physicals aren't just designed to detect a major disease before it spreads. It is particularly effective at identifying warning signs with your system that you should be aware of. Most people with high blood pressure, for instance, aren't going to experience many symptoms. Almost no one with high cholesterol will have any reason to know that they have it unless their arteries start getting clogged up. By getting checked out and having some blood tests run, you can identify these issues before they manifest into bigger problems. By themselves, high cholesterol and high blood pressure aren't really problems. But they can and will lead to serious health conditions if not treated.

Address Nagging Concerns
Most of us live with small health concerns that we don't address because they are annoyances more than anything else. You don't want to make an appointment with a doctor because of your flaky eyebrows, for instance, or because you feel a bit more tired than usual. Physicals present the perfect opportunity to bring these problems to a doctor's attention. You can get a recommendation for treatment or perhaps set your mind at ease that you aren't dealing with something serious.