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Regular physical examinations are crucial to early detection of disease as well as providing opportunities to discuss concerns or plans with your doctor. For women ages 18-40, an annual pelvic exam is recommended, as well as a general physical exam every three years. Women should also have the first mammogram between ages 35 and 40, every other year from age 40 to 50, and annually from age 50 and above. Men need to have physical examinations every other year unless otherwise recommended by a doctor. Also, both men and women should have an annual eye exam.
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Immunizations are not just for kids. Although children will receive a tetanus shot as part of the regular schedule of immunizations, everyone can benefit from having a tetanus shot every 10 years, usually called a booster. You may contact your regular physician to see if you may be at risk for other diseases preventable by vaccine. These can include varicella (chickenpox), measles, mumps, rubella, and some others generally associated with lifestyle.
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An estimated 30% of all Americans visit an emergency room each year. However, for the majority of cases the medical problem did not require urgent care and an ER visit could have been avoided. Conditions that do require emergency care are: possible heart attack, possible stroke, shock, unconciousness, extreme difficulty breathing, no pulse or not breathing, severe bleeding, spinal cord injuries, and hypothermia. Some conditions may require urgent care rather than emergency care, which means to call your physician or the emergency room first. These conditions include: fever of 100.4 degrees or above in infants less than 2 months old, severe vomiting or diarrhea, poisoning, possible broken bones, head injuries, serious burns, and severe unexplained pain.
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