Women should also get annual physicals to stay healthy
In October, pink ribbons and products pop up everywhere.
As symbols of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, they are meant to increase awareness of the disease and stress the need for an annual mammogram.
But breast cancer is not the only threat to a woman’s health. Women also are at a higher risk than men for osteoporosis, heart disease, and fatal strokes. “They’re also three times more likely to suffer from anxiety,” says Sanjana Iddyadinesh, DO, a primary care and family medicine physician at Bon Secours Primary Care–Hwy 14.
That’s why women need a primary care physician (PCP)—in addition to their OB-GYN—who will focus on their “head-to-toe, overall health,” Iddyadinesh says. “It’s always important for us to be on top of our health so we can take care of our family members.”
She advises finding a PCP with whom you feel a connection and scheduling an annual checkup, “even if you don’t have any problems or concerns,” she says. “Getting routine care can help identify potential illnesses before they start.”
You should bring your current medications, past medical records, and any questions to your first visit, which will include a check of your vitals, a physical exam, and a review of your family history and any needed vaccines.
Your PCP also may do a depression and anxiety screening and go over your diet and exercise routine. “Just having small discussions like that makes a huge impact on your future health,” Iddyadinesh says.
If needed, your PCP will order health screenings such as blood and bone density tests to find conditions and illnesses before they start affecting you. If you don’t have an OB-GYN, your PCP can perform your annual pap smear and pelvic exam—another critical part of staying healthy—and order mammograms and cervical and colon cancer screenings. Most health insurance plans cover these yearly physicals and any recommended tests.
If there are any abnormal test results, your PCP will “tell you what it is and explain everything before we send you to a specialist. We also work together with them in managing the abnormality we see,” Iddyadinesh says.
Many of the PCPs at Bon Secours’ 24 primary and family care locations are accepting new patients. And it’s easy to determine the right one for you by using Bon Secours’ Find a Doctor tool on their website: bonsecours.com/find-a-doctor. You can narrow your search by zip code and other factors such as accepted insurance plans, conditions providers specialize in treating, and more.
