Getting a general health exam annually is essential regardless of your current physical condition. Many people assume that if they feel fine and have no pre-existing conditions that a checkup is not necessary. Spending time and money on a seemingly pointless exam is understandably not ideal. However, this is exam is not pointless. There are many reasons why healthy adults should schedule an annual exam.

Identify and Treat Developing Issues

While some health issues seemingly develop out of the blue, many have minor symptoms that you may write off as being insignificant until a serious issue develops. In some cases, the signs may only be identified by your doctor through a thorough physical exam, and this includes through blood and urine analysis. Through a regular exam, your doctor can identify issues that may be developing so that prevention steps can be taken. For example, by treating prediabetes early, you may avoid developing full-blown diabetes and having to get insulin injections for the rest of your life.

Get Early Treatment for Serious Issues

While you may prevent some issues through early detection, you may already be afflicted by a disease or condition and be unaware of it. For example, your doctor may identify a lump in your lymph nodes or an unusual skin blemish. Cancer is only one of many conditions that can become increasingly severe and that requires early treatment for the best results. Your doctor may recommend that you visit a cancer treatment institute right away so that treatment can begin before the cancer spreads.

Spot Trends

Your doctor will analyze your blood, urine, blood pressure and weight to look for obvious issues as well as trends. For example, over the course of multiple well-checks, the doctor may see that your weight and blood pressure are trending upward. He or she can provide you with specific instructions about how to manage weight and lower blood pressure. Trends like this may not be an immediate concern, but they can lead to a serious issue in the years ahead.

Read also :  Six Common Injuries People Suffer From While On Vacation

While you may seem to be healthy, this may not actually be the case. Even if you are healthy right now, you may be on a path toward disease that could be avoided. Your doctor can provide you with valuable insight about your current health through an annual exam. If you are not habitually seeing your doctor for a physical, now is the time to make an appointment and turn over a new leaf.