Know Before Going For Your Annual Wellness Exam

The annual wellness exam plays a vital role both in your mental and physical health. 

When the COVID 19 pandemic struck the world, health became all the more important.

Know Before Going For Your Annual Wellness Exam

The medical fraternity had warned the world that the health issues like asthma or heart ailments aggravate your risk of coronavirus illness. The most powerful weapon to detect these issues has your annual wellness exam. Still, up to 25% of American people skipped it due to the pandemic.

You should definitely consult with your general practitioner with regard to preventive care of coronavirus infection. Still, health professionals advise against skipping your annual wellness exam. Annual exams can catch illnesses before they start showing symptoms. Blood pressure is one such illness that can have a disastrous effect on one’s life. Heart ailments and stroke too fall in this category. People suffering from high blood pressure are at high risk of falling ill due to COVID 19. Another such condition that an annual wellness exam can detect is pre-diabetes. All it requires for people in this condition to recover is a few modifications to their lifestyle and diet. Exercise, too, can have a positive impact here.

You may be healthy before the pandemic struck the world. But that does not mean that you are healthy enough today. People are forced to stay indoors for long. Most of them even start working from home. This, for many, is an unexpected change in their lifestyle. And it can negatively impact your health. People gain weight during the lockdown. They eat much and don’t exercise enough.  Drinking too much alcohol and lack of sleep too can adversely affect your health. Your primary health care professional can take care of all these problems. 

Know that your physician is a reliable source for your mental health too. The pandemic has led to an increase in the instances of the disorders like anxiety. If at all you suffer from any such issue, don’t hesitate to discuss it with your general practitioner. There are also reports of an increasing number of opioid overdose deaths in recent times. This is the result of people finding themselves unable to get help for their mental health issues.

Children, too, are at higher risks of mental health issues because of the lockdown. Doctors report that people, in general, are anxious about the following things:

• Missing classes
• Lagging behind in sports and other activities
• Having no idea of how long the lockdown will last

Certain children even fight off depression during the time. They are unable to interact with their friends in school. They have no one to talk to and to express their feelings towards things. Parents will either only source of hope. Doctors often ask patients about their life indoors and if they are eating enough. Teachers are the first ones to observe all this. But since they don’t go to school, it becomes the pediatricians’ responsibility to diagnose abuse if there is any. According to them, it is a must that they have the time required to monitor children carefully and to see that they are safe in their homes.

Preparing for the annual wellness exam

Take a note of your family’s medical history, not excluding your own, the medicines you are having, food and other allergies and your health concerns. Since you are anxious, it is quite easy to forget everything. Make sure that you write down all your questions so that you can get an answer to them.

Don’t hesitate to talk about your COVID 19 infection if you have had one. You may have long-lasting health issues that need to be taken care of. Your health care provider can update you with regard to vaccines and their availability. Remember, your doctor is your most credible source of information, not Google or social media.