There are many tests that people will get throughout their lifetimes. These tests can discover many things within your body. Just like a car, your body is a smooth-running machine, and there can sometimes be things that cause your body to run a little rougher than usual. When this happens, it is time to go to a doctor and allow them to run some tests that can help them determine why you are not feeling 100%. Our bodies, just like cars, need to be maintained and checked up on from time to time. There are tests that can be used as cautionary maintenance and some tests that are specifically used to find specific things in your body. When you have some of the yearly tests done, they can help you keep your body running right and make sure that you are healthy and in tip-top shape. Here are three simple tests that you should have done annually.
A Physical Exam
A physical exam is a great starting point to get the rundown on your overall health. A physical exam gives you and your doctor a better understanding and baseline of where your health currently stands. During this exam, it is common to have your height measured, your weight taken, and recorded as well as where your Body Mass Index (BMI) currently sits. This exam also allows doctors to find underlying issues that may not be a problem now but can show themselves in the future. If your family has a history of illness, your doctor can help find if you may be prone to some of the same illnesses.
Physical exams are also a great way to get a blood pressure screening, cholesterol screening, and a general panel to discover if there is anything that is not the way that it should be within your body. If anything is found that proves to be a cause for concern in these physical examinations, your doctor can refer you to specialists to further examination and catch potentially hazardous issues before they become too serious.
Cancer Screening
Cancer can develop in everybody as it does not have a preference to whom or where it finds a host. Getting a cancer screening is crucial to making sure that you catch it early if it does develop. There are several symptoms related to all types of cancer that can be mistaken for another illness or disease. It is essential not to ignore these symptoms as they arise. Cancer is a specific ailment that can be fatal if not caught in time. This is why early detection is critical in maintaining your health and getting the right treatments that will put you on the path to recovery a lot quicker than if it went undetected.
Certain cancers such a Lung Cancer or Brain Cancer do not necessarily exhibit symptoms until they are further along their course. This makes these types of cancers more difficult to treat and makes it harder on your body to fight the disease and for your body to recover. Getting screened annually can help your chances of early detection and ensure that you are able to consider or start treatment as quickly as possible.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Electrocardiograms are an important assessment that looks into how your heart is functioning and pumping blood throughout your body. An ECG reads your heart’s electrical impulses. Small sticky dots and wire leads are put on your chest, arms, and legs. The leads are attached to an ECG machine that records the electrical impulses. The impulses cause the muscle to squeeze and pump blood from your heart.
ECGs are fantastic tools that can be used the measure how long it takes for these impulses to pass through your heart and also how long it takes to travel from one part of the heart to the next, which shows if the electrical activity within your heart is normal. An ECG can also measure the electrical activity that passes through your heart. This is how doctors and cardiologists can find out which areas or chambers of your heart are enlarged or are being overworked. This allows doctors to diagnose their patients and can help them manage an issue if one arises.
Annual Visits
While making sure that getting all of your tests at the doctor’s is important, when you go in for your annual checkups, request these specific tests to stay on top of your health and make sure that you know what is going on with your body. If you ever have any concerns or want to find out more information about how these tests can be helpful to you and your health reach out to us at (845) 528-1898 or you can email Dr. Zarcone at drval@valeriezarcone.com