Preventive Care

Everyone would agree that if they could avoid getting sick, they would. But we often don’t think about going to the doctor when we’re healthy. The best way to prevent diseases from affecting your health is to visit your internist for preventive health care.

What Is Preventive Healthcare?

Also referred to as preventive medicine, the purpose of these medical services is to take proper measures to ensure that a patient remains free of the physical and mental disorders that can be brought on by genetics, environmental factors, and your lifestyle.
 

Millions of people die from illnesses that could have been prevented, such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Our goal is to to help you arm yourself with both knowledge and quality medical care, even while you’re healthy, to prevent these illnesses from developing.

What Can I Do?

One way people of all ages from can prevent certain disorders is by coming in for regular checkups with their internist. Even if you aren’t experiencing symptoms and feel perfectly fine, these routine visits can screen for potential issues. We’ll make sure you are up to date on your immunizations, and help to alter your lifestyle and habits to improve your quality of life.
 

Many conditions, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, can be “silent killers”. Often, patients only discover that they have these conditions by coming in for a standard wellness visit.

Your healthcare provider will tell you how often you should visit for check-ups. This may vary, particularly if you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic disorder. While adopting good habits can reduce your chances of contracting certain illnesses, your internist is also here to make sure that you remain as healthy as possible!

We know your family's health is of the utmost importance in your life. Whether you are a first-time parent or have teenagers, it's important that everyone in your family is given the proper medical care they need. That doesn’t just mean visiting when someone is sick - that also means regular "wellness visits".
 

It's important to prevent infections and other medical issues before they become major issues, rather than waiting until a health problem surfaces. By visiting your family physician for regular preventive check-ups, you and your loved ones can be one step ahead of health problems.

What is Preventive Care?

So what exactly does preventive care mean? After all, when we think about family physicians, we often picture them diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries.
 

Preventive family medicine focuses on maintaining health and protecting against disease, disability or death by educating the patient and making sure they come in for routine visits. Remember-you don't have to be sick to benefit from seeing your family doctor.
 

Here are just some of the preventive practices that children, teens and adults can adopt to protect their health for the long term:

Stay updated on immunizations

• Routine blood work

• Annual pap smears

• Blood pressure check

Preventive Lifestyle Changes

Your family physician will inform you about ways to reduce your risk of certain health complications by changing your lifestyle. This may mean changing your diet, quitting tobacco, exercising more or losing weight. Diabetes and heart disease are leading causes of death in the United States, and one of the best ways to prevent these conditions from affecting your family is to come in for routine exams and physicals.
 

During these visits, we can also identify certain problems or risk factors. Your doctor may recommend ways to reduce your chance of developing issues like high blood pressure or high cholesterol in the future. By taking a proactive approach to your health, you can learn how best to avoid preventable illnesses.
 

Disclaimer:

The information on this website is provided for educational and information purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult with a licensed medical provider and follow their recommendations regardless of what you read on this website. If you think you are having a medical emergency, dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Links to other third-party websites are provided for your convenience only. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms of use for those websites. Neither Gulf Bank Medical Center, nor any contributor to this website, makes any representation, express or implied, regarding the information provided on this website or any information you may access on a third-party website using a link. Use of this website does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you would like to request an appointment with a healthcare provider, please call our office at (281) 447-7614.

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