When was the last time you had a physical?
Unfortunately, too many people can’t even remember when that time was.
By not getting yourself checked out regularly, you run the risk of developing and not knowing any number of illnesses. While some may not be all that threatening, others could be life-threatening.
So, is it time you were a little more involved with your health, making sure you see a doctor regularly, along with being more educated as to your health needs?
How Healthy Are You Feeling?
If you’re thinking the time has come to take better care of your health, good for you.
You can start by getting an annual physical, something that doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Even with minimal health insurance coverage, you should still be able to afford getting checked out regularly. With a physical and lab work, you are much more inclined to discover if there is something negative going on inside of you.
Although there are myriad of problems that oftentimes go undetected, some are much more dangerous than others.
Among the health conditions you don’t want to mess around with:
- Heart disease – Still the number one killer of people nationwide, heart disease can be genetic, but it also can develop due to an unhealthy lifestyle. Such simple factors like diet and exercise play a big role in whether or not you are at more of a risk for getting this killer. Do your best to watch what you eat, along with making sure exercise is not a foreign concept in your life;
- Cancer – The number two killer of Americans, cancer has been one of those illnesses that still challenges many medical experts. On the one hand, progress has been made on a number of cancer fronts, giving doctors and patients great hope. On the flip side of the coin, some cancers have actually been gaining in killing Americans, oftentimes again due to lifestyle choices;
- Blood clots – If the term pulmonary embolism is not one you are familiar with, you should educate yourself on it. If a blood clot breaks off and lodges in your lungs, you may not even make it to the hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, too many people (oftentimes men) will brush off symptoms like shortness of breath, an irregular heartbeat, chest pains etc. as just being out of shape or stressed out. As it turns out, those warnings signs can be your body crying out for help. Don’t pass off such symptoms and run the risk of one day getting to a medical facility too late. Spend some time online (and in consultation with medical experts) discussing how the right treatment for such a problem can literally mean life or death over time;
- Continuous headaches – Just about everyone gets a headache or two a month. That said getting them on a daily basis is not something to take lightly. While many headache scenarios can easily be explained away by a doctor, others require immediate attention. If you’re dealing with continuous headaches, get checked out. You could be receiving warning signs from your body that something bad is brewing inside.
Be a Better Educated Patient
Whether you go to see a doctor regularly or infrequently, being as educated as you can about health terms and what your body is telling you is important.
For instance, how often do you go online to check out medical sites, doctor’s social media pages, and videos describing how the body works? Although you may not think much will be learned by doing so, you’re likely going to be surprised.
There is myriad of information online, much of which can prove beneficial to you when it comes to living a healthier life.
If you have symptoms of something that you can’t easily explain away, calling your doctor should be first and foremost on your mind. You can also do some searching online, seeing if what you are feeling is nothing that dangerous or could prove life-threatening.
At the end of the day, never tempt fate with your health.