Regular checkups are worth the time because many serious conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and some cancers, often cause no symptoms in their early stages. Screening can find them while they're easier to treat.
What the experts say
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of experts, reviews the evidence on screenings and recommends which ones adults should get and when. For example, it recommends screening adults for high blood pressure. Other recommended screenings depend on your age, sex and risk factors, and your doctor can tell you which apply to you.
What it can't promise
Checkups don't guarantee you'll stay healthy, and not every test is useful for everyone. Some screenings have tradeoffs, which is why the recommendations change with age and risk.
Why people skip them
People skip checkups because they feel fine, they're busy, they worry about cost, or they'd rather not know. But feeling fine is exactly when quiet problems are easiest to catch.
The habit: put your health on a schedule
- Book an annual checkup in the same month every year, such as your birthday month.
- Keep a simple record of your numbers, such as blood pressure and cholesterol, and how they change.
- Ask what screenings you're due for based on your age and history.
- Don't wait on new symptoms. Get them checked.
The rule that makes it stick: book the next one before you leave
Schedule next year's checkup at the end of this one. The decision is made a year in advance.
This week
If you haven't had a checkup in the last year, call and book one.
The keep
A yearly checkup costs a few hours. It's how you catch small problems before they become large ones.
This article is for education only and isn't medical advice. Talk with your doctor before making big changes.
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