In this day and age, women are busier than ever. They often must take on many roles and have various responsibilities that push their own well-being and self-care to the back burner. Some routine health screenings shouldn't be put on hold for too long, and a wellness exam with an OBGYN is one of them.
Yearly wellness appointments include several tests and exams that can diagnose many different medical conditions and help prevent some severe conditions such as cancer. The frequency of such exams depends on your age, medical history, and risk for certain medical conditions. Just like it is easier to get your teeth cleaned than get a root canal, it is important to complete yearly health checkups to avoid more serious medical problems.
The Start of the Exam
There are many steps to a woman's wellness exam visit. One of the first things they will have you do is complete a medical history and list any current medical concerns. This will help them determine what tests and exams they recommend. A few common procedures in a wellness visit is a pelvic exam, a breast exam, a pap smear, and a mammogram. The frequency of these exams depends on the patient's age and medical history.
Cancer Detection
A pelvic examination and pap smear can help diagnose uterine fibroids, sexually transmitted diseases, cysts, polyps, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), gynecological cancer, and pre-cancerous signs in the cervix. In several cases, they can catch many issues in the early stages, even before symptoms appear. Treatment taken in the early stages can yield higher success rates as well.
Breast Examinations
Another part of the well-woman appointment is a breast examination. This also helps to diagnose breast cancer in the early stages. While self-breast examinations are always recommended, it is also recommended to have a yearly professional breast examination and discuss any concerns or issues you have with your breasts.
At a certain age, mammograms are also another useful medical tool. A mammogram is an x-ray of your breast. This allows the doctors to look at the breast tissue for any sign of cancerous masses. They can find cancerous tissue with a mammogram up to three years before it can be felt by a breast exam.
A pelvic exam, pap smear, breast exam, and mammogram can be life-saving tools in working with your health. Catching cancer and other diseases in the early stages can drastically improve your quality of life and in some cases add years to your life. Stay on top of your routine health care. You are worth it. Visit an OBGYN like one at Naples Ob-Gyn to receive your well-woman exam.
