The new year makes you feel like you have a new lease on life and anything is possible. Everyone makes resolutions to exercise more, eat less, lose weight, and other health improvement-related changes. Not to sound like Debbie Downer, but only around 8% of people actually keep their resolutions. However, if your resolution is to improve your health, there’s something you can do right now to ensure you meet your goal — schedule your annual well woman exam.
Yes, taking five minutes to complete this little task now helps you protect and improve your health in the coming year. Why? To paraphrase, it’s because prevention is better than cure, and your annual well woman visit is the cornerstone of your preventive care.
While you might think that your well woman appointment is just for Pap smears and pelvic exams, it actually covers more of your overall health.
Monique Petteys, FNP-C, and her team at The Women’s Center at Life Point Medical take your health seriously. Whether you feel fine or have concerns about your menstrual cycle, menopause symptoms, or other reproductive health issues, we can provide you with the necessary health screenings and the advice you need to protect and improve your health down the line.
You might feel great, but that doesn’t mean you’re as healthy as you think. Many diseases don’t cause symptoms in their early stages. For example, nearly a third of Americans have high blood pressure, but 20% of them don’t know they have the condition. Additionally, cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV), and other sexually transmitted diseases are asymptomatic until they damage your health. From Pap smears to blood pressure checks to STD testing, your well woman visit can ensure you’re as healthy as you feel.
Your well woman exam is also an excellent opportunity to get birth control advice and prescriptions. Whether you want to renew your birth control pill prescription or learn more about long-acting reversible contraception like intrauterine devices (IUDs) and birth control implants, our team can provide the counseling you need to make an informed choice. And if you need to replace your IUD or birth control implant, we can handle that too.
The average age of menopause is 51 years old, but you go through many changes in the years preceding the end of your menstrual periods. As your hormones change, you might get hot flashes or suffer from insomnia. In addition to physical symptoms, many women also develop depression and anxiety as they approach menopause. During your well woman exam, our team can answer your questions and give you advice on how to manage your symptoms and protect your quality of life.
Our team of compassionate women’s health experts is here to help you lead a healthy, active life. If you have questions about your reproductive or overall health, ask us during your well-woman appointment. We can help you figure out what’s causing your pelvic pain or irregular periods, painful intercourse, or even incontinence. No question is too small or unimportant to bring up at your exam.
So let’s work together to make this year your healthiest year yet. You just need to take the first step — request an appointment online or call The Women’s Center at Life Point Medical in Clayton, Georgia.
