Is the annual check-up still necessary?

With the new year here, now is the time to take charge of your health! When was the last time you had an annual health check-up? The fact is, far too many people aren’t getting an annual check-up, and in an era when new diseases and ailments seem to appear overnight, that’s just not acceptable.

You may be asking yourself, “why are annual check-ups so important anyway?” We can answer that in one word: prevention. When you go in for a regular health exam, the chances of catching an issue before it becomes a major problem rise exponentially.

When you catch ailments early, you’ll have far better chances of treating or curing them. Whether it’s a particular screening, blood test, or other medical service, you catch diseases in their early stage if you are getting regular check-ups.

Everyone wants to live a healthy, long life, so why leave it to chance by avoiding the doctor or neglecting a physical or check-up? As you age, your health and family history increasingly becomes determined by the lifestyle choices you’ve made in the past. Did you eat lots of junk food, drink excessive alcohol, or smoke cigarettes? If so, annual health check-ups are even more important.

Of course, we bring up age because young, healthy people aren’t under as much urgency to ensure they are seeing the doctor once each year. Still, only seeing the doctor when something is wrong is not the best way to manage your health.

When you establish an ongoing and trusting relationship with your physician, annual check-ups become less nerve-wracking. Look forward to good health – no matter your age – by ensuring you having it checked on a consistent basis.