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Keeping yourself and your family healthy each and every day will take professional help and guidance. It’s been a stressful couple of years and many of us are struggling to manage our workload, finances and stress levels. Regular health exams can help you stay on top of small changes that can lead to big problems.
Physicals
We’ve all heard that everyone needs a physical each year; after all, it’s called an “annual” for a reason. If you find that your schedule gets away from you, try setting up your annual physical on or around your birthday. What better gift can you give yourself than a clean bill of health each year?
During a physical exam, women will likely undergo a pelvic and breast exam while men undergo a prostate check. Everyone will need to get their pulse, respiration and blood pressure checked. Each of these exams is about stopping big problems in the earliest stages; if your blood pressure is creeping up, it may be time to start medication or to start making changes in your exercise routine and your diet. Managing blood pressure is much simpler than dealing with the dangerous outcomes, such as stroke and organ damage.
Eye Examination
Like an annual physical, regular eye examinations offer protection against conditions that can eventually be catastrophic. You want to catch damaging conditions early, such as glaucoma, cataract formation and macular degeneration.
Eye examinations are also critical for children. A young child who doesn’t see well can miss out on critical learning steps and eventually struggle to succeed in school. If both parents wear glasses, plan ahead and get the whole family in for eye exams once a year. To keep it simple, try booking these exams around July 4th so everyone who needs new glasses has them for the start of the school year.
If you have a family history of diabetes or high blood pressure, eye examination can give you important information about the condition of your entire body. Pair these with your physicals and, if you can, just take a day off and get things done.
Mental Health Assessments
Recent world events have put many of us under a lot of stress. You may find yourself becoming
- short tempered
- agitated
- distracted
You may find that you’re drinking more alcohol than is healthy for your body or your budget. You may also find that you’re procrastinating or unable to make a decision.
Too often, we believe that the only symptom of depression is sadness. However, distraction and constant anger are also signs of depression. We fight anxious thoughts and insomnia with a drink before bed instead of addressing the real illness that is anxiety. If you’re not sleeping, taking no pleasure from life or simply unable to focus, it’s time for a mental health assessment.
Those who suffer in isolation also need to carefully monitor their mental health status. The isolation imposed since 2020 has been manageable and possibly even enjoyable for introverts, but many are feeling quite lonely and uncertain about the future. If you notice that an elderly loved one is struggling to take care of the tasks of daily living, a mental health assessment may be in order.
Hearing Exams
Children need early hearing exams to make sure they can hear well enough to learn about the world around them. Adults need regular hearing exams to make sure that their noise exposure and activities are not damaging their hearing. Adolescents especially need exams to make sure that entertainment choices are not causing permanent hearing loss.
The elderly in particular need regular hearing exams. If you notice that an older adult is not following conversations, has television or radio programs turned up to a disturbingly high level or tends to shout rather than speak, it’s time for a hearing test. If you are an adult child recommending this, expect some pushback. However, poor hearing increases isolation and can lead to anxiety and depression in the elderly.
Conclusion
Good health is a daily task that we all need to invest in. From what you put on your plate and in your mouth to the products you put on your skin and the information you put in your brain, you can protect your health by making good choices. Regular health exams can help you customize those choices.
