With all the juggling and stress of the busy lives we lead, it can be easy to put off seeing your doctor until serious symptoms appear.
However, many medical problems start with subtle changes and can be caught early if you have regular checkups. That’s why it’s so important to visit your doctor at least once a year for wellness exams.
1. Annually
An annual wellness check is an important step in maintaining your health. They can help you detect any issues in their initial stages, so you can take preventative measures and treat them before they progress.
During an annual wellness exam, your doctor will review your health history and check your vital signs, such as your blood pressure and heart rate. They may also test your body for cancer and other potential diseases.
It’s also a great opportunity for you and your doctor to discuss any symptoms or concerns you might have. This can help your doctor understand what’s going on and get you the care you need as soon as possible.
Medicare offers a free annual wellness visit for people with Part B (Medical Insurance). This preventive service is a good way to stay healthy and reduce your risk of illness or disease.
You can find out if this free service is available to you by calling your health care provider. You should also review your insurance plan’s summary of benefits before you make an appointment.
2. Biannually
The frequency of wellness checks will depend on a variety of factors including your pet’s age, lifestyle habits, and risk for developing diseases. Typically, a yearly wellness visit is recommended for animals in good health.
However, pets that have a history of illness or are at higher risk for disease will require additional annual screenings. These could include testing for heart conditions, diabetes, fungal infections, or cancer.
Because of this, it is important to avoid confusing biannual and biennial in writing or speaking. This can lead to confusion among readers or listeners and may even result in misunderstandings. The best way to avoid this is to use semiannual when you need something that happens twice a year.
3. Monthly
A wellness check is a visit to your doctor that includes a physical exam, medical history, and other screenings. It also gives you the chance to talk with your doctor about any concerns or questions you may have.
Your provider can recommend vaccinations and screenings that help prevent illnesses like pneumonia, diabetes, and high blood pressure. They can also tell you about your risk factors and provide advice on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Performing wellness checks monthly is an important way to keep track of your health. It also helps you avoid the cost of emergency room visits, which can be costly and time-consuming.
4. Weekly
Having a wellness check each year helps ensure your immune system has the tools it needs to fight off serious and even life-threatening diseases. It also allows you to identify any health risks you may have that could lead to a future illness, and take steps to prevent it before it happens.
According to the CDC, having regular wellness exams can help you and your doctor identify early-stage disease and treat it before it becomes life-threatening. It can also lower healthcare costs.
As a result, the ACA required that most Americans get preventive care, including screenings for chronic diseases and other health conditions. This helped more people than ever before to keep track of their health and catch disease before it was too late.
Despite being a standard part of medical practice, there are some cases where wellness checks can be dangerous and even deadly. These include non-emergency calls made to police about mental health crises, especially in Black and Indigenous communities.