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Why You Should Start Your Year with a Preventive Medicine Appointment
It’s inevitable; December turns to January and the new year, and we all become preoccupied on what we can do better. After all, that is the premise behind New Year’s resolutions. Year after year, few of us keep to those promises much past March at the latest.
You think, maybe this year will be different, if only you could create a resolution that was realistic, and more importantly, doable. If living healthier is at the top of your family’s New Year's resolution list this year, consider starting the year off with a preventive medicine appointment, says the skilled family medicine team at Generations Family Practice in Cary, North Carolina.
Preventive medicine appointment versus getting a physical
Let’s get started by defining what a preventive medicine appointment is in the first place. You may be more familiar with scheduling an appointment for you or a family member to get an annual physical than making a preventive medicine appointment.
Like a physical, a preventive medicine appointment gives you and your doctor an opportunity to identify future potential health issues that may be developing as well as to create a game plan to prevent those potential health issues from turning into serious chronic medical issues down the road. Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol as well as weight problems commonly fall into the category of potential health issues that diagnostics that accompany physicals as well as preventive medicine appointments seek to address.
But preventive medicine appointments are so much more.
Numerous services available
Our team offers a number of screenings and evaluations for your physical and mental well-being, such as:
- Wellness exams for children, men, and women
- Screenings for high blood pressure (hypertension), breast cancer, skin cancer, and colon cancer, as well as vision and hearing screenings
- Vaccinations
- Developmental evaluations for children
- Medical weight loss
- Pelvic exams, Pap tests, and birth control for women
- Prostate exams
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing and treatment
- Psychological evaluations
Here at Generations Family Practice we provide a robust menu of preventive medicine services for every member of your family, regardless of age.
Address small issues before they become big problems
One of the best ways to think about preventive medicine appointments is that they are personalized supersized wellness appointments that help you and your doctor discover, discuss, and mitigate all the unique health issues that come up before they can become serious medical issues.
Preventive medicine appointments vary slightly depending on the patient’s age and any existing conditions. However, the typical appointment includes:
Review of your medical history
This information helps establish which screenings and services are right for you.
Check of vital signs
Data like weight, body mass index (BMI), growth and development assessment in children as well as blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature provide benchmarks as well as potential clues to existing issues.
Physical examination
The goal of this portion of a preventive medicine appointment is to evaluate your overall health as well as discover any signs of an existing or developing medical issue or disease.
Your doctor examines your eyes, ears, throat, and does a vision and hearing screening. Additional screenings or assessment will be added to the physical exam based on the patient’s gender and age, and whether they are sexually active.
Diagnostic testing
Based on results of your medical history, vital signs, and physical exam, your doctor may augment the appointment with diagnostic tests such as blood work, urine tests, in-office X-rays, or other diagnostic testing.
Make a preventive medicine appointment at Generations Family Practice today
to take the first step toward checking living healthier off your New Year’s resolution list. Book an appointment online or call us at 919-852-3999.
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