How often should you visit your doctor?

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Introduction

The world hasn’t been the same since the arrival of COVID. The motto, “Prevention is better than cure,” has become even more relevant. In other words, it’s better and relatively easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. So, the question arises, how often should you see your doctor for a checkup?

A routine checkup can help evaluate the risk factors for various medical conditions. These checkups also help to keep a tab on lifestyle habits and suggest measures to stay healthy. Regular checkups also help keep an eye on life-threatening and chronic illnesses. The routine checkup frequency depends upon various factors, including a person’s age, lifestyle, and current health. Most healthcare professionals suggest visiting the doctor:

Once every three years, if the person is under 50 and in good shape, physically and mentally
Once a year after turning 50

The doctors may suggest visiting more or less frequently depending on the risk factors, investigation results, and current health. However, this frequency can change if the person suffers from a chronic disease, like diabetes or chronic kidney disease (CKD). In such cases, a person should follow the advice of their healthcare provider.

Benefits of Regular Checkups

Visiting a healthcare professional regularly for a checkup can provide various health benefits. Some of these benefits are listed below:

- Early screeningof potentially life-threatening diseases
- Timely treatmentof disease, if flagged in the screening test
- Reducing the riskof worsening conditions through timely intervention
- Staying updatedwith the latest vaccines and screening tests
- Lowering the financial burdenof chronic health conditions
- Learning new habitsto live a healthy life

Things Included in a Medical Checkup

The doctor asks about the medical history and current health during an annual checkup. It is only after this essential first step that appropriate investigations are advised because it gives the doctor a fair idea of an individual’s current health.

Typically, the annual medical checkup includes a review and update of the following:

Medical history
Family history (if required)
Medicine list and known allergies
Past vaccination and screening test (if available)

In an annual checkup, the doctor usually screens these things in the individual:

High Blood Pressure
Obesity (based on the body mass index)
Tobacco use
Alcohol and drug abuse
Depression
HIV screening test for anyone in the 15 to 65 age bracket or at high risk
Type 2 diabetes
Lung cancer for people with a history of smoking

There are additional screening tests for women, including:

Mammogram for breast cancer in females between 50 and 74
Pap smear screening for cervical cancer in females between the ages of 21 and 65
High cholesterol screening for females over the age of 45

Osteoporosis screening for females over the age of 65

Things to Expect in a Physical Exam

During a routine checkup, the medical staff carry out the following investigations:

Check blood pressure and other vitals
Verify medical history, including medications, allergies, and lifestyle
Ask questions about surgeries since the last visit
Do screening tests for alcohol abuse or depression

Once these preliminary investigations are done, the doctor will review the medical record and ask questions based on the person’s medical history. The physical examination by the doctor uses different techniques.

Feeling the abdomen and other parts of the body allows the doctor to know the location, size, and tenderness of internal organs
Checking for heart and lung health
Performing the percussion technique to check for fluid buildup

Besides these physical examinations, the doctor may also perform some other exams and tests. Once the physical exam is completed, the doctor will discuss findings and the need for additional tests.

How to Prepare for an Annual Medical Checkup?

Here are some tips that may help before going for an annual medical checkup.

Gather all the relevant medical information, including old records, vaccination history, and insurance card, if available
If going for a review visit, make a list of all changes in the medical history since the last visit
Make sure the medication list is up-to-date, and be honest about taking any vitamins, supplements, or over-the-counter drugs
If there are any changes in symptoms, allergies, or drug reactions, include them in the list

Conclusion

Two types of people visit doctors. The first category runs to the doctor for a minor fever, pain, or sneeze. The other group doesn’t bother to see the doctor unless they become very ill. Very few people visit the doctor for a regular body checkup. Going for a regular checkup can help people in a variety of ways. The doctor will provide the best possible care. Regardless of whether one feels well or not, it would help to always go for a medical checkup once in a while.