By Yhordan Serpentini | September 7, 2022
Ever wondered why you should receive a wellness checkup? In today’s blog, we will be discussing what are the benefits of wellness checkups, what a wellness checkup is, what commonly happens during one, and why you also should periodically go to one.
What Are Wellness Checkups?
If you’ve ever been to an annual or pediatric checkup, then you have somewhat of an understanding about what a wellness checkup is. A wellness checkup is typically an annual visit with your primary doctor; it is a type of preventative care that focuses on maintaining your wellness, as well as stopping and/or preventing health issues from happening or progressing.
Wellness checkups are typically less than an hour, and the majority of the time will be you waiting in a room for the doctor. People tend to be afraid of annual checkups because out of shame of their current lifestyle and health choices, or out of fear of what their doctors may find; however, it is not as scary as it may seem. Some of the most common things that will happen during a wellness checkup include:
- A physical, non-invasive examination
- A medical diagnostic test
- BMI and vital checkups
- An examination of you or your family’s medical histories
- Medical injections, including immunizations, vaccines, and/or blood work
- Screenings for cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure, or STDs
On top of these, you may also be asked personal questions about your life to help your doctor better understand your situation. For example, you may be asked personal questions related to your current household, questions about your sex life, questions related to drug or alcohol use, etc. These questions better assist your doctor in understanding if you are under a state of stress, anxiety, mental and physical illness, or addiction–which will also aid in discussing a plan for a healthier lifestyle. Now you know about a wellness checkup, but what are some of the biggest benefits behind it?
1. Early Diagnosis
One of the biggest and life-saving benefits behind having a wellness checkup is the ability to diagnose illnesses, diseases, chronic, or life-threatening issues very early. Having an early diagnosis could be the difference between living a long life and living a short one. Whether it be due to major problems such as high cholesterol, cancer, and STDs, or minor implications like diabetes or high blood pressure, these early diagnoses will allow for early treatment, which will drastically make a difference to your well-being–and it will always be cheaper, too! Your health is very important, don’t underestimate just how much of an impact early treatment can make on it.
2. Staying Up-To-Date on Immunizations
Staying up-to-date on immunizations is another wonderful benefit of having a wellness checkup. Your doctor will typically ask if you are, or would like to, have immunization injections or vaccinations to help keep your immune system strong from minor or major diseases. Having these injections can help reduce other risk factors to your health if you were to unfortunately contract a disease, sickness, or illness.
3. Learn Better Lifestyles to Stay Healthy
Depending on just how much your lifestyle is, your health may need a dramatic change. If you suffer from alcohol or drug addictions, unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, anbd/or other reactive behaviors, having periodic wellness checkups and discussions with your doctor will help you find, as well as plan, new ways to change your lifestyle for the better.
4. Lower Costs on Insurance and Other Healthcare Plans
Taking care of yourself comes with many physical and emotional benefits, but a bonus of that is having lower costs on medical insurance and healthcare plans. It may sound counterintuitive, but the more often you have wellness checkups, the better it will keep your insurance costs low since your insurance will be updated periodically on your health. The better you take care of yourself, the less you’ll have to pay.
References:
- Rebecca. (2017, June 6). What’s included in a wellness exam? Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.mana.md/whats-included-in-a-wellness-exam/
- The importance of a wellness checkup. The Importance of a Wellness Checkup: Primary Care Associates of Maryland: Family Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.pricaremd.com/blog/the-importance-of-a-wellness-checkup
- U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2020, August 13). Eight ways to cut your health care costs: Medlineplus medical encyclopedia. MedlinePlus. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000870.htm
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