There’s a reason it takes a medical student 8 years or more to go through all the necessary training to become a doctor. The human body is more complex than even the fastest computer or most advanced machine in the world. You’d think, with all that the body is capable of, it would be able to take care of itself.
However, anyone who has ever had the flu can tell you that’s not the case.
Because the body is so complex, the number of things that can go wrong is almost infinite. If you want to stay healthy and catch problems before they get too big to handle, you need to be sure you’re attending these three appointments.
General Check-up
Every forensics expert knows that bodily fluids contain a wealth of information about the body they came from. But did you know that doctors are trained to extract the very same information while you’re still living? At a general check-up, your doctor will take blood or urine samples to test your white blood cell count. This will tell him or her if your body is fighting any infections.
Your doctor will also conduct screenings for various illnesses that may affect you based on your gender and lifestyle. Men will be screened for prostate cancer. Women will be screened for breast and cervical cancer. Both men and women should be tested for STDs and HIV, if their sexual activity is such that it could lead to these illnesses. Smokers will be evaluated for lung, throat, and oral cancer risks.
In addition to these potential problems, your doctor simply wants to know how you’re doing. He or she will ask you what sort of activities you engage in, the types of foods you enjoy, and how you’re feeling day to day, both physically and emotionally.
A general check-up is important if you want to catch problems before they happen. While a cold or the flu can generally be overcome with a few days’ rest, your doctor can alert you to bigger problems before they become life-altering
Eye Exam
Remember that day in elementary school when the school nurse would make you read the letter chart with a card held over one eye? She was testing your eyes to make sure they were developing equally. The earlier vision problems are detected, the easier it is to treat them because children’s bodies are still growing.
Even though you’re not in school anymore, and whether you live in El Paso or Edmonton, eye exams are still important. Changes in lifestyle or work habits can affect the way you use your eyes, which can affect your vision. Eye diseases like glaucoma and amblyopia (one eye stronger than the other) are often unnoticeable in the early stages, but a doctor will be able to catch them.
We’ve all been told that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but they’re also the windows to the body. Through the eyes, your doctor can see your blood vessels clearly, which will give him or her a clue about your overall health.
3. Dental Cleaning
Can you think of any friends, or family members who actually enjoy going to the dentist? It’s probably a pretty small number. What about friends and family members who enjoy and are grateful for their health? That’s probably a much larger number. Here’s the catch: going to the dentist is one of the best ways to stay healthy.
Getting a thorough dental cleaning isn’t just about having a great smile, although that’s definitely part of it. Only a dentist has the tools and the knowledge to be sure your teeth and mouth are as healthy as they need to be.
In spite of all your careful brushing, flossing, and rinsing, bacteria and plaque still build up in the mouth. The longer the bacteria linger, the more chance they have of getting into places they shouldn’t – like your bloodstream.
A dentist, like every other medical professional, can detect problems before you ever will. The earlier you catch and treat potential problems, the better off you’ll be.
You should always take good care of your body, inside and out. The only way to ensure this is by visiting your doctors. These three appointments will keep you healthy and happy, but only as long as you show up.
Eloise Hamilton studied political science and now writes online about anything that catches her interest. Aside from cars and Congress, her interests include photography and cooking. All this time spent writing prompted a visit to Londonderry Eye Care – thankfully, her eyes are doing fine