As a holistic oriented family doctor, I really like to keep people healthy and not coming in for sick visits! When Covid 19 hit, and we shut down for a few months, many people started neglecting their preventive care. In this part 1 of the series, I am going to discuss how to use different medical screenings to help keep you healthy.
Screening for diseases seems like a good idea. We want to catch things small before they have had time to slowly grow worse. It is easier to put out a match than a roaring fire, after all. However, we do have weight the cost of screening versus the benefits. Secondly, sometimes catching things early is not necessary, as the body might have fixed the problem on its own. There are always ongoing scientific studies to help gather data on what is helpful and what is not. Still, it is a lot of research to read through.
Luckily for us, there is a task force who main job is to keep up with the current scientific studies to let us know what they think is appropriate to do. They grade their recommendations as “A/B” are recommended, “C” is maybe based on some additional personal factors, “D” is don’t do this, and “U” is unclear at this time. The task force is made up of doctors and scientists and meets regularly.
You should know that you need mammograms, pap smears, colon cancer screening, and bone density testing at certain ages. You might also need screening for blood disorders, lung cancer, and possibly prostate cancer.
Are you caught up with your recommended screenings? It is easy to search their website to find out. If you are behind, call us to get caught up!