Preventive care is one of the most important steps you can take to be proactive about your health. Many of the most common risk factors leading to illness and premature death are preventable, and preventive care can help you understand and address these risks before it is too late.
Getting the information you need about your health is critical to understanding what steps you should be taking. Are you at risk for diabetes? Should you be exercising more? What foods should you be eating/avoiding?
These are all important questions that preventive care aims to help patients address. It is much easier to make lifestyle decisions when you have access to healthcare providers with extensive knowledge to offer. Maintaining a regular, ongoing relationship with your physician can help you to have a tighter grasp on your current medical health while also improving longevity and vitality.
What Is Preventive Care?
Preventive care is an area of medicine that helps to detect or prevent serious diseases and medical problems before they develop into more serious conditions. This is one of the only branches of medicine that focuses on addressing a person’s unique medical profile in order to prevent diseases from happening rather than treating conditions after they develop, as is the case with most fields of medicine.
Annual checkups, immunizations, and flu shots, as well as certain tests and screenings, are a few examples of preventive care. It is also referred to as routine care.
Some examples of preventive health services include:
Annual checkups
Annual checkups involve a routine assessment of all areas of your health—physical, as well as emotional. This can help your provider to understand your medical situation and also factor in the lifestyle choices you have been practicing.
By scheduling routine care every year, you are allowing your care provider to better understand your unique profile and understand how to better prevent health issues from developing.
Flu shot
This is typically covered 100% under most health plans and helps protect you from certain strains of the flu virus that are new every year.
Mammogram
Mammograms involve a routine X-ray of breast tissue to check for any signs of cancer or other abnormalities. These are critical for women in their 30’s to have done regularly.
Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is a common screening for colon cancer. These are generally conducted once every 3-5 years.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations help to protect you from common diseases that include measles, mumps, rubella, polio, etc.
Benefits Of Preventive Care
Preventive care is extremely beneficial for patients who want to take a proactive approach to their health. It can help anyone stay abreast of their health while understanding what their risk factors are and how to safeguard against them.
The benefits of preventive care include:
- Usually available at no cost with most health plan policies.
- Leads to the early detection of medical problems, illnesses, and diseases
- Helps your doctor provide proactive care and treatment
- Helps you stay focused on your own health goals
- Improves long-term health
- Can lengthen your lifespan
When it comes to healthcare, most people act reactively instead of proactively. They won’t go to the doctor until they’re sick and they won’t take care of their body until problems start to arise.
People don’t want to spend money on healthcare until they feel like it’s completely necessary. The problem with this approach is that you’ll be spending a whole lot more on fixing a problem than you would if you focused on preventing it in the first place.
Even if you aren’t experiencing any symptoms, it is important to understand that your body is constantly in motion. It is fighting off infection, building more muscle, and maintaining your brain, all while keeping that heart beating. This is why it is essential to take a deeper look at your health regularly rather than ignoring it until something goes wrong.
Reach Out To Imperial Center Family Medicine
Imperial Center Family Medicine is a full-service primary care office in Durham, NC that specializes in offering preventive and personalized medical services. Their team of expert physicians takes pride in their deep knowledge and outstanding bedside manner.