You cannot underestimate the importance of routine check ups, as they could prove to be potentially life saving. Here are just a few reasons how.

Routine Screenings Can Catch Problems Before They’re Actualized.

Cholesterol and diabetes tests, pap smears, breast exams, you name it. These routine screenings are incredibly important as they can catch diseases at their earliest, and most treatable stages. For example, your doctor may detect colon cancer at one of your annual check ups, and could be able to save your life as a result.

It Allows Doctors to Update Your Records.

Updating health records is another reason the importance of routine check ups is so great. Each time, your doctor will take your blood pressure, your resting heart rate, your weight, and your height. This sets a baseline, which will allow doctors to detect any changes. For example, if doctors notice that your blood pressure has been increasing year over year, they may suspect you’re developing heart disease, and can investigate further.

You Can Get Some Advice.

Your annual check up is the perfect opportunity to get some counseling on a health issue that may be bothering you, be it your weight, a period of depression, trouble quitting smoking, your sexuality, or even your alcohol consumption. This is the time when you can ask a doctor if what you’re doing is healthy, and get advice on what to do about it if it’s not. For example, if you want to lose some weight, your doctor can recommend eliminating some certain foods in your diet, or even give you the number of a nutritionist.

If you need help finding a doctor who understands the importance of routine check ups, or finding a hospital that values preventative medicine, feel free to share your concerns in the comments, so that you can find a doctor who’s right for you.