Physical exams are an essential asset to your overall health and wellness. According to Albany, NY’s Urgent & Primary Care, they not only help your primary care doctor spot problems before they become serious, but they also lead to strong patient-physician bonds. Unfortunately, this leading urgent care explains, many adults don’t receive checkups as often as they should.  

So, the question remains: how regularly should you receive a physical exam? To answer this common inquiry, you must first consider the following factors:

• Age: When determining your exam schedule, your family care physician will first look at your age. Individuals between the ages of 19 and 21 should receive physical exams every two to three years. Those between 22 and 64, on the other hand, should go once every one to three years. Lastly, patients over 65 need annual checkups.  
• Family History: If your parents, grandparents, or siblings have any prominent health concerns, your physician will likely recommend more frequent exams, regardless of your age group. For example, those with a family history of diabetes, cancer, or heart disease should visit their primary care doctor more often than those without. According to Urgent & Primary Care, doing so allows the former to easily identify early warning signs of these and other potentially genetic disorders.
• Personal History: Your personal medical history also plays a key role in answering this age-old question. Namely, patients who have previously exhibited health concerns, whether from disease or injury, should get consistent checkups. There, a primary care doctor will monitor their vitals, keeping past problems at bay.
• Ongoing Risks: If you do not have a troublesome personal or family history but do exhibit other risks, you will need more regular physical exams. For example, if you are between the ages of 22 and 64 but regularly smoke or are overweight, your primary care doctor may recommend you visit every one to two years, instead of every one to three.

It’s also important to note that the exam itself will likely change from year to year. Namely, your family care physician will perform various screenings and administer different vaccines based on the above factors.

Adults over 40, for example, should receive a cholesterol screening every five years. Likewise, women aged 18 to 29 need an annual pelvic and breast exam as well as a pap smear every three years. Men over 50, on the other hand, should receive a prostate exam every year. There are many other preventative procedures like these, so consult your doctor to see which tests you currently qualify for.

All bodies are different, and what’s normal for you might not be normal for others. Thus, it’s essential that you make preventative checkups a regular part of your health care routine.

You can start by calling Urgent & Primary Care at (518) 463-8262 today to schedule a physical exam. From there, you and one of their experienced physicians will create an exam schedule that suits your unique needs and specific concerns. For more on this father-daughter team or the other services their urgent care provides, visit their website.