What You Should Know About HPV
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Get the facts before you get the virus.
What a Well-Woman Visit Can Do for You
With a busy life and loads of responsibilities it’s easy to put off a visit to the doctor. In reality, women have unique health needs, and attending your annual well-woman visit plays a valuable role in staying healthy.
The team at Health Solutions is devoted to helping you live a long, healthy life, and preventive care is central to this mission. A well-woman visit is a yearly preventive health checkup with your doctor, separate from other visits. Well-woman care focuses on checking various aspects of your health and may include other important services, such as family planning or menopause counseling.
An annual well-woman check should be on every woman’s to-do list. Here our experts discuss how a well-woman check benefits your health.
Preventive care for women
Even if you feel fine, it’s crucial to schedule an annual well-woman check. This provides the opportunity for your health care team to assess your current health and initiate preventive measures against disease.
Many diseases that affect women cause few or no symptoms during early stages. In other cases, you may have symptoms that you’ve dismissed or associated with a different condition. During a well-woman check, your physician performs important screenings that detect abnormalities at the earliest stages. This gives you the best chance for success treatment when diseases develop.
What screenings will my doctor perform?
Screenings for women are individualized based on your age, medical history, health status, and lifestyle. Common well-woman screenings include:
- Pap smear
- Mammogram
- Breast exam
- STD screening
- Screening for hormonal imbalance
Many women may also choose to have blood tests to check their cholesterol, as well as screen for diabetes.
An opportunity for discussion
Your well-woman visit is also a time to discuss your lifestyle and habits with your physician, as well as ask health questions. Prepare to discuss:
- Exercise
- Nutrition
- Alcohol consumption
- Menstrual cycles
Depending on your age, medical history, and other factors, your physician may choose to screen you for conditions such as heart disease and osteoporosis.
Immunization update
Other preventive care may include immunizations. This may include the shingles vaccine, flu shot, or HPV vaccine. Your doctor will make the appropriate recommendations after reviewing your medical history.
Women’s health counseling
During your well-woman visit you can discuss family planning, fertility, emotional well-being, and sexual health. Your doctor not only checks your physical well-being, but also your emotional and psychological well-being and safety.
Your physician may screen you for depression, and you may be asked about any recent changes in your life, such as divorce, job loss, or a death in the family. Depression is common in women. If you have signs of depression, your doctor may refer you to a specialist for further counseling.
Even if you already lead a healthy lifestyle and there have been no major changes in your life, an annual well-woman visit can help you maintain optimal health.
Make your health a top priority and schedule your annual well-woman visit with a Health Solutions provider today. Call the office nearest you or book online to schedule your appointment. We have offices throughout greater Chicagoland in Tinley Park, Rockford, and Olympia Fields, Illinois, as well as Munster, Indiana.
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