Annual Medical Visit: A Healthy Habit

Be a proactive participant in your own health and wellness. It’s important to schedule your annual physical examinations and screenings. “They can detect the early onset of serious medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and cancer,” says  Winston Lai DO, PIH Health Family Medicine physician.

Here’s a list of health screenings and their recommended intervals:

Annual Wellness Visit (Physical) – Men and women should have an annual wellness visit, also known as a physical, with their primary care physician. People of all ages should have a physical every year.

Breast Cancer Screening – Women should begin screening for breast cancer annually at age 40. This type of exam is called a mammogram.

Cervical Cancer Screening – Women, ages 21 to 64, should have a cervical cancer screening every three to five years per your doctor’s recommendation. The screening exam for cervical cancer is called a pap smear.

Colorectal Cancer Screening – Both men and women, beginning at age 50 , should have a colorectal cancer screening every 10 years. If there is a history of colorectal cancer in your family, you may need to be screened earlier and more frequently. The preferred screening method for colorectal cancer is called a colonoscopy and is the only screening method that may prevent cancer.

Regular health screenings can help detect problems early, when your chances for treatment and cure are better. Learn more at PIHHealth.org/Screenings.

View Dr Lai’s physician profile video and read his bio. Call 213.482.2770 to make an appointment.