When you don’t feel well, it’s easy to get yourself to the doctor’s office because you know a healthcare professional can help you find relief. But what about when you feel perfectly healthy? When you’re full of energy and have no complaints, it’s natural to question whether an annual physical exam is truly that important.
We’re here to tell you that it is, without a doubt, one of the most important things you can do for your long-term health and well-being. These yearly check-ups provide a crucial opportunity to catch potential health issues before they become serious problems, to build a trusting relationship with your healthcare provider, and to get personalized advice on how to live your healthiest life.
In this guide, we’ll go further into the importance of yearly medical exams for adults and children alike, so you can make the most informed and proactive decisions for your family’s health.
The Power of Prevention and Early Detection
Many of the most serious and prevalent chronic diseases (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and even certain types of cancer) are known as “silent” conditions in their early stages. This is because they often develop without any noticeable symptoms, and by the time symptoms do appear, the condition may have already progressed to a more advanced and harder-to-treat stage. An annual physical allows your doctor to look “under the hood” and identify potential issues before they leave you stranded on the side of the road.
During your exam, your doctor will perform several preventative health screenings that provide a critical snapshot of your physical well-being:
- Blood Pressure Screening: High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Since it rarely has symptoms, the only way to know if you have it is to get it checked regularly. Catching it early allows for simple lifestyle changes or medication to bring it under control, drastically reducing your risk of life-threatening cardiovascular diseases.
- Cholesterol and Blood Sugar Tests: A simple blood test can reveal your cholesterol levels (including LDL “bad” cholesterol and HDL “good” cholesterol) and your blood glucose levels. Since high cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, and high blood sugar is a hallmark of pre-diabetes and diabetes, it’s important to detect these problems as soon as possible.
- Weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) Assessment: Your doctor will track your weight and calculate your BMI to ensure you are in a healthy range and to understand your risk for a host of conditions linked to obesity, including joint problems, sleep apnea, and heart disease.
- Cancer Screenings: Your annual physical is the perfect time to discuss age and risk-appropriate cancer screenings. Your doctor will provide recommendations for mammograms (for breast cancer), Pap tests (for cervical cancer), colonoscopies (for colorectal cancer), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests (for prostate cancer) based on your personal health profile and family history.
Establishing a Baseline for Your Overall Health
A doctor who sees you regularly establishes a baseline for your health. They learn what’s normal for you — your typical blood pressure range, your baseline lab values, your personal health history, and more. When a change occurs, even a subtle one, they are in a much better position to recognize it as a potential red flag that warrants further investigation. This full view of your medical history is critical for personalized, effective care that adapts with you as you age.
Building a Strong Patient-Doctor Relationship
Having a consistent, trusting relationship with a primary care physician is invaluable. It fosters a sense of trust so you can feel more comfortable discussing sensitive health concerns (such as questions about family planning, weight management, or mental health) with a healthcare provider who can provide clear steps forward.
A Dedicated Time for Managing Your Health
Life is busy, and it’s hard to find the time to step back and take a comprehensive look at your overall health and lifestyle. However, putting an annual physical on your calendar can give you the dedicated time to do just that. During the appointment, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and get expert, evidence-based advice on a wide range of topics, including:
- Lifestyle Choices: Discuss your diet, exercise habits, stress levels, and sleep patterns. Your doctor can offer practical, achievable strategies to help you improve in these areas.
- Vaccination Updates: Immunizations aren’t just for kids. Adults need booster shots to stay protected from diseases like tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), shingles, and pneumonia. And your annual exam is the perfect time to review your vaccination record and get any necessary shots, including your yearly flu vaccine.
- Medication Review: An adult healthcare specialist can conduct a thorough review of all your medicine, including prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, and even vitamins and herbal supplements. This helps prevent dangerous drug interactions, ensures your medications are still working effectively, and determines if any dosages need to be adjusted.
Why Yearly Physical Exams Are Essential for Children
For children and teenagers, annual check-ups are just as important, if not more so. These visits, often called well-child visits, are fundamental to ensuring healthy growth and development. For infants and toddlers, these appointments help track developmental milestones in growth, speech, motor skills, and social behavior. As children enter school and adolescence, the focus of the annual exam expands to encompass every aspect of mental and physical health. This is also when children will receive the scheduled immunizations that protect them from a host of dangerous childhood diseases.
Get a Snapshot of Your Health at Spectrum Health Services
When it’s time for your annual check-up, we’re here to make the entire process easy and seamless. During your preventive healthcare exam, we will thoroughly review your personal and family medical history, check your vital signs, and perform a physical examination, which may include evaluating your heart rate, listening to your lungs, checking your abdomen, and examining your skin, ears, nose, and throat. We will also discuss any necessary lab work or screenings and take the time to answer all of your questions and address any concerns you may have.
Scheduling annual physical exams is a simple yet powerful step you can take to protect your most valuable asset: your health. So, be proactive and contact Spectrum Health Services in Philadelphia, PA, to schedule an annual physical exam for you and your loved ones.