You can never be too cautious about your health and wellness. Checking in with your primary care doctor every year can help you catch health conditions that would have otherwise been ignored.
Your annual checkup is also an opportunity for you to discuss what health issues you’ve been experiencing, any goals for yourself such as physical fitness, and any medical or therapeutic procedures you’ve been considering – both surgical and nonsurgical.
Why Get Annual Doctor Checkups?
In managing your health, you’re in the driver’s seat. Your annual doctor’s visit can help you avoid unwanted surprises and give you some peace of mind.
Below are nine key reasons why you should schedule a visit with your primary care physician today:
- Immunizations: Immunizations help prevent you from getting sick. Regular checkups allow you to stay up-to-date on your vaccines, so you can avoid being affected by illnesses such as the flu.
- Detailed Physical Exams: You may not have noticed that something isn’t right, but an annual physical lets your doctor take extra time to assess areas that are not typically examined during “sick” visits. Most physical exams are simple and finished quickly, but there are times that some early/progressive warning signs of problems are discovered by your doctor.
- Growth/Aging Issues: As you get older, you can become more vulnerable to specific health concerns. You may not even realize that you’re at risk because you never had to worry about it before. Your doctor can tell you about specific risks that tend to come during certain age periods and how you can avoid or prepare for them.
- Mental Health: Your physical health isn’t your doctor’s only concern. If you’re experiencing any emotional or mental distress, taking time to speak with your primary care doctor can get you on the path to better mental health and overall wellness. Your doctor may recommend that you see a certain specialist, or that you get specific therapy or treatment.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Your lifestyle and habits make up a majority of your health and wellness outcomes. Things such as eating, sleeping, physical activities, and work are large factors that you may want to review with your doctor.
- Getting Questions Answered: Get advice and guidance from your primary care physician on all of your general or specific health concerns. It’s a great idea to write down your concerns before your appointment so you remember to ask everything you wish to ask.
- Chronic Illness Update: If you suffer from a chronic health condition, meeting with your doctor regularly can assist in providing you with the best care, specialists, and treatments.
- Refilling and Getting Prescriptions for Medications: Temporary or chronic health conditions often require prescription medicine. It’s easier to get refills and new prescriptions for these medications when you meet with your doctor regularly. Also, your doctor will know of any new, improved medicine that might be even better at treating your condition than what you are currently taking.
- Building a Relationship: It is important to have a relationship with your primary care physician, because they’ll understand the “baseline” of your health. This way, they can have a better understanding when health concerns are present than if they never knew you before.
Contact a Skilled Doctor in South Carolina
Schedule a checkup with the medical team at SC Internal Medicine Associates and Rehabilitation. We diagnose and treat a variety of conditions with superior service and state-of-the-art treatment methods.
Contact us today at (803) 749-1111 to schedule an appointment, or fill out our simple online appointment request form. We look forward to serving you.
