Happy Women's Check-Up Day!
Every woman should make time for healthy habits. We should all have healthy habits in our daily lives. Habits like exercise and eating healthy foods. Another healthy habit to have is to get your annual check-up done. Regular checkups can improve your quality of life and prevent complications. It can literally save your life. Back in the day, people only went to the doctor if they felt sick. Today, we know better than that. People are becoming more educated about health and are going in for annual checkups.
May 10th is National Women's Check-Up Day. This was set up to encourage women to get a check-up. It's easy to come up with excuses. Maybe you're stuck at work, school, or have family obligations. Or the "I don't feel sick" line. However, it is incredibly important for women to get their wellness check-ups. A doctor needs to assess your current state of health and help you take preventative measures against sickness. There are many reasons a woman should get a check-up such as preventative care reasons, reproduction planning, medical history reasons, and counseling.
Doctors want patients to stay on top of their health. This helps reduce the number of people who require serious medical treatment and/or surgery.
Find the potential health issue BEFORE they become a problem.
Preventative care
During a check-up, they will do a physical exam and a pelvic exam. Along with a conversation usually had to assess your mental health. These are all so vital. Finding abnormalities in time is essential to preventing diseases and treating what is necessary.
Immunizations are done if needed. As well, as bloodwork to check things like cholesterol, thyroid function, and sugar levels. Often, the test is normal. There's no need to be scared or concerned. But, when your doctor can establish what is normal levels for you, it is easier to detect a problem in the future. For example, setting up a baseline for your blood pressure makes it easier to see if there is something wrong in the future.
Mammograms are also a part of preventative care for women after the age of 40 and earlier if there is evidence of family history with problems. This exam looks for abnormalities in search of signs of breast cancer. Usually done annually. Studies show that women have a better chance of surviving breast cancer when it is detected early.
Reproductive Planning
Every woman has at some point thought about whether or not they want to have children. Some women have decided they don't want kids, while others do. Some women want a big family. While either decision is fine, discussing your reproductive plans with your doctor is part of a check-up. The doctor may recommend birth control options or if you are ready to have a child, then they can discuss how to prepare for pregnancy. Annual checkups are the time to have these conversations.
Medical History
During these checkups, the doctor will also ask about any family history of medical conditions. These can include questions about high blood pressure or cholesterol to questions about diseases like cancer. Your family history is important since many medical conditions can be genetically passed on. Knowing this information, allows the doctor to order preventative tests or screenings for these conditions. When detected early, many conditions can be treated and helped.
Keeping track of your medical history allows you and your family to stay on top of things and prevent conditions from worsening.
The doctor will also ask you about any over-the-counter medications you take. This is to make sure you aren't taking something you don't need or there may be a better option for you that the doctor can prescribe or recommend.
Counseling
An annual checkup isn't all about your physical health but also your mental health. Emotional well-being is part of making sure everything is okay with your health. The doctor will ask questions about events in your life and how you have been feeling. Some of these questions can seem personal, but remember that the doctor has your best interest in mind. Depression is common in women. It's best to be honest with your doctors so that they can further assist you. Perhaps counseling with a specialist is recommended.
Doctors also ask if you feel safe at home to further assist you and your safety, if necessary.
Even if you feel fine and live a healthy lifestyle, these checkups can help the doctor notice any changes in your mood or health. Every woman should be going in annually to get checked up for any possible disruptions in life.
It's better to be safe than sorry.
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