With summer coming to an end and fall quickly approaching, our days are becoming shorter and nights becoming longer. Vacation time for many of us is ending and it’s time to get back in the swing of things.
During this transition where it’s not quite summer and not quite fall is a good time to think about scheduling your yearly physical. This is the visit that can help to identify any potential medical issues before you develop any symptoms of problems – such as high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease. Depending on your age and sex, preventative screening tests can also be ordered such as:
- Cholesterol panel
- Fasting blood sugar for diabetes screening
- Pap smear for cervical cancer screening (females, 21 and older)
- Mammogram for breast cancer screening (females, 40 and older)
- Colonoscopy for colon cancer screening (50 and older)
- Low dose CT scan for lung cancer screening (smokers, 55 and older)
- Immunizations
- And much more!
Lastly, this is also a good time to bring up any questions or concerns that you may have with your doctor. It is always a good idea to have your questions written down beforehand in case you forget.
Be sure to give the office a call and schedule your yearly physical!
Source: United States Preventative Task Force
