We all know the importance of having good health in our lives, and as the good old saying goes, you can’t buy good health. You can keep on top of it though by being healthy, proactive and having a yearly health assessment. You’re probably thinking – when will I find time for this? The truth is that it is important to find time to keep an eye on your health as it can pick up warning signs of possible future issues that you must address now, when they are easier to fix. But we all have busy lives, and it can be easy to put this to the back of your mind as you are not actually unwell, so why bother?

With people working longer hours than ever before it can seem like this is at the bottom of any priority list. When you factor in that these health checks cost money, some people are even more put off as it seems like a sound financial choice to not risk the money for them to say ‘all’s OK’ – and most will only see a dentist or doctor without hesitation if it’s urgent. But this can be a false economy.

Common conditions like high blood pressure have all sorts of underlying conditions and if spotted early enough can often be treated by making simple lifestyle alterations – no expensive medicines required! If these are left untreated, they could well need those expensive medications, not to mention the health worries. In this article, we’ll explore what you might expect to encounter from your yearly health assessment.

Health Assessment Features

We aren’t going to cover expensive yearly exams that throw every medical test at you using the latest technological wizardry available, as these are often the most expensive and out of reach of the average family. We will concentrate on basic tests that doctors perform to build up a good general check of your health, including a dental checkup.

  • General appearance – How you look and feel about yourself, this gives the doctor a very rough impression of your general condition.
  • Medical history and possibly family history – This gives the physician a solid starting point. Family history can be relevant if you have conditions that tend to run in your family. Your medical history is a must so that the doctor has a background picture of your overall health.
  • Basic exam – Things like blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate and temperature will be measured. Excessively high results from one of these signals to the doctor investigate further. The doctor should also listen to the heart to make sure it is beating in a normal rhythm and also that your breathing is normal too.
  • Lab tests – The doctor will usually take a sample of blood to check various things. If you have not had a cholesterol test before, the doctor can schedule one of those too. The doctor might also ask for a urine check.
  • Gender specific physical assessment – It is important that both men and women monitor their own genitals for anything abnormal. The doctor will also perform a testicular (for males) or breast exam (for females) and possibly ask you about other related issues specific to your gender, for instance, the frequency of toilet use, etc.
  • General physical exam – This will include a check of head and neck (looking at your throat, etc.), abdominal exam, neurological exam and dermatological examination.
  • Dental check – This is usually performed by a dentist and will include a full assessment of your teeth and gums, and questions about any issues you’ve had with your teeth and mouth in general. They will also perform an inspection of previous dental treatment (if applicable) and discuss with you any concerns you may have.

Why It’s Important

The key thing to remember about health checks is that they are a good preventative measure, and are important to stop health issues from getting worse, which they tend to do. If you have a medical complaint, please see a health professional. If you have had dental work done, such as implants or dentures, you will probably already be aware of the importance of a yearly dental checkup. However, if you have had a cosmetic procedure, such as teeth whitening, you might not know that you should see a dentist annually to check on the condition of your treatment. Again, this is all about maintaining the quality of the treatment you have had done, saving you valuable money in future. If you are considering a yearly physical exam, we recommend that you speak to your doctor or have a read around and find any impartial advice. If you are looking for a dental check, we would suggest a friendly local dentist, such as VSP dental, as you can ask your friends, family and co-workers their opinion and it saves you from excessive travelling. The main point of all this article is that health checkups shouldn’t be seen as a waste of money, but as a way to keep on top of your health and prevent or lessen potential future problems.