A Handy Guide For Your Annual Checkups.

We all have those checkups our doctors recommend for us every year, but do you know when they are recommended? The article below offers a list of annual exams that occur throughout the year, when to get them done and what each one does. Most yearly checkups are at least partially covered by insurance for those who don't have a national health service in your country, so go ahead and take care of yourself in these critical times. Make sure to eat healthy, exercise, sleep well and manage your stress levels too.

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January

Wellness Checkup with your doctor or healthcare provider: Get checked up on any vaccinations you may need this coming year, blood pressure, cholesterol & glucose levels if you're diabetic (may require fasting beforehand), skin & body, plus any other general physicals.

February

Dental checkups are always a must and typically you should be seeing a dentist every six months for a thorough oral exam.

March

Checkup focusing on stress levels if needed: Your yearly checkup may cover some aspects of mental health and will include questions about how often and how much anxiety and depression are affecting you daily. We must take care of both our physical and psychological health, so pay attention if recommendations are made.

April

Regular self examination (monthly) is an act of importance for women to check their breasts and for men to check their testicles to provide knowledge of what these feel like to you. Any changes that do appear will hopefully be detected by you quicker so you can make an appointment to see a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

May

Skin Cancer Visual Checkup: Now is the perfect timing of year to do a visual self-examination of your skin, getting checked up on every inch from head to toe, including behind the ears, inside the nose, underarms, groin area, back, between the toes and everywhere else that might require further attention. If you see anything strange or unfamiliar, then make sure to contact your physician as soon as possible to get it checked out.

June

Test for Hepatitis B & C, if applicable: This is a disease affecting the liver that can be transmitted through tainted blood. Usually, symptoms can go unnoticed without getting tested, but many treatments are available once diagnosed, so don't hesitate to ask about this testing.

July

Eye Examination/Contact Lens Checkup: Any changes to your eyes, prescriptions or contact lenses should be reported to your doctor so they can provide you with the best care possible.

October

Cholesterol & Blood Pressure Evaluation: If you have a family history of high cholesterol or high blood pressure, it may be necessary to get these checked up more often than annually.

November

Yearly Flu Shot: Depending on your age and any pre-existing conditions you may have, this shot could include the pneumonia vaccine as well.

December

Diabetes Screening: You will most likely be scheduled for this appointment if you are over the age of 45 or if there is a chance that you might already have diabetes because of your family history. This screening test evaluates how your body processes sugar & helps your doctor determine whether or not you need to take insulin shots or change up some diet habits to balance the sugar intake. 

These checkups don't need to be as tedious as some people think; you have to keep an open mind and be willing to ask questions. Keep the future of TRT in mind, there is no harm in asking your doctor what exercises might help with any muscle or bone problems. They may even recommend something like acupuncture if they notice it could help you relax & relieve stress better than medicine can. Remember: If you feel like something isn't right, then make sure to contact your physician immediately because it's always better safe than sorry!