Why Regular Wellness Exams With Your Family Physician Are Important For Your Health

It's easy to take your health for granted when you're feeling well. You may be so busy that taking time to go to the doctor seems like a major inconvenience, especially since you often wait for long periods in a room with sick people. However, regular examinations from your family physician are important even when you feel well. Here's why.

Examinations Detect Silent Cardiac Problems

High blood pressure is a silent risk to your health since it often has no symptoms. You may not know you have hypertension until your doctor checks your pressure during a wellness exam and finds it elevated. High cholesterol readings from a routine blood test could be another indicator of cardiovascular disease that would go unnoticed. During the examination, your doctor listens to your heart and lung sounds, and when these are abnormal, the doctor may refer you for further testing to catch cardiac problems early before they have a negative effect on your health.

Blood Tests Reveal Hidden Medical Problems

When you go to your doctor for wellness exams on a regular schedule, abnormal blood tests can catch medical problems early. High blood sugar readings could signal the beginning of diabetes. Elevated liver enzymes could point to fatty liver disease or hepatitis. Blood tests can reveal problems with your thyroid and kidneys as well as conditions such as anemia. Some medical conditions can be reversed or slowed when they are caught early. Sometimes, the only way to do that is through regular wellness examinations since you may have no symptoms of the developing conditions.

Screening Catches Cancer In The Early Stages

If you don't see your doctor for several years at a time, cancer has a chance to grow undetected. You might think the symptoms you feel have an unrelated and less serious cause. When you go to your doctor regularly, changes in your body are monitored closely. This helps your doctor catch cancer signs early through screening tests. The type of screening tests you have with a wellness exam depend on your age and your risk of cancer. Your doctor may check your skin for signs of cancer and have you collect a stool sample to check for blood, which might indicate colon cancer.

Seeing your doctor on the schedule he or she recommends is important for protecting your health against serious diseases as you age. Your primary care physician is your first line of defense against medical problems, so keeping appointments is important even when you're feeling well. The inconvenience to your schedule is worth it when it comes to safeguarding your health.