As parents, we worry about the health of our children. We are steadfast in our commitment to scheduling their annual appointments at their primary care physician, their dentist, their optometrist, and any specialists to manage and treat diseases or injuries they’re suffering from. We are quick to take them to the doctor at the first sign of sickness they have as a baby, and we worry about injury as they grow up and participate in sports and learn to drive.
So, why are many of us so resistant to taking charge of our own health? Why have we forgotten how important it is for us to have an annual checkup? Read on to learn why annual checkups and a visit to a cardiology center in Suffolk County, NY, is so important.
Early Detection
When you only visit a doctor or clinic when you’re sick, health issues that you aren’t aware you have won’t be addressed. If you visit because you have the symptoms of a sinus infection, an underlying heart condition isn’t necessarily going to be covered. Your doctor is going to focus on the symptoms you’re complaining about, not your overall health. At an annual checkup, however, your doctor will take more time to examine your health as a whole.
Because of this, regular checkups can help to detect problems in their beginning stages before they become major issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease remains the number one killer of men and women in the United States. The CDC’s statistics show about 610,000 people—or 1 in 4— in the US die of heart disease every year. However, many of the risk factors of heart disease, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure, can have no symptoms. But, if you visit a doctor or cardiology clinic in Suffolk County, NY, they can help uncover these symptoms and come up with a treatment plan to help you avoid developing heart disease.
Peace of Mind
Some of us avoid going to the doctor because we are worried something is really going to be wrong with us. Instead of confronting potential problems, we bury our heads in the sand. But, getting an annual checkup can actually lead to greater peace of mind. If you thought you had a serious problem, an annual checkup may reveal that it is easily controlled or not as serious as you thought. You may even discover nothing is wrong at all and you’re in perfect health. Instead of ignoring or putting off care, visiting your doctor can ease your anxiety.
Lower Health Care Costs
In addition to helping detect problems early and providing peace of mind, regular checkups can lead to lower health care costs in the long run. Preventing a disease or problem before it occurs or worsens is cheaper than treating it. Helping you to lower your risk for developing heart disease in the first place is easier on your wallet than the costs associated with a heart attack, stroke, etc., which can include costly emergency room bills, surgeries, and other expensive medical procedures.
Now that you’re aware just how important a checkup is, when you’re ready to schedule an appointment for health care in cardiology in Suffolk County, NY, contact Peconic Bay Medical Center today. Visit them online at http://www.pbmchealth.org to explore all the services they offer.