The 6 Most Important Questions To Ask Your Doctor

People are always telling you how important it is to have regular checkups with your doctor, even if you feel healthy. It’s an important preventative measure to take because you can catch any problems early on, before they get worse. It’s sensible to get checkups but a lot of people don’t really know what they’re actually looking for. If you don’t know the right questions to ask your doctor, you won’t get the most out of your appointments. Next time you see your doctor, ask them about these things.

Am I A Healthy Weight?

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Knowing whether you’re a healthy weight is difficult these days. The general representation of a good weight in the media is very removed from the medical definition but it’s what people often use as a measure. They think that if they have any fat on them at all they’re unhealthy, so a lot of people who are the perfect weight still see themselves as being overweight. That’s why you need to ask your doctor what the optimum weight for somebody of your size is. If you’re already a good weight but you start dieting because you think you’re overweight, you’ll end up dropping below a healthy level. Always get your doctor to weigh you and advise you on any lifestyle changes you need to make to keep your weight at the right level.

Is My Hearing OK?

Problems with your hearing can creep up on you slowly so you might not realize there’s a problem until it’s too late. There are all sorts of ways that you can damage your hearing from exposure to loud noises to poor diet. Speak to your doctor about setting up a hearing exam to make sure that there aren’t any problems. Getting your ears checked regularly can identify any problems before they cause irreparable damage.

Am I Taking The Right Medication?

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When you’re taking medication for something you only want to be taking it for as long as necessary. It’s also important to make sure that your medication is actually doing you good. Just because your medication was right for you when it was prescribed, that doesn’t mean it’s still right for you now. People often get used to taking their medication and it just becomes a part of their daily routine that they don’t think about. This is dangerous because if your body changes and your medication isn’t working for you anymore, it needs changing. Every time you see your doctor, speak to them about your medication and find out if they recommend any changes.

Is My Family History Safe?

Regardless of how healthy your lifestyle is, your family history can still put you at risk of disease. If there is a history of certain hereditary diseases, you need to be aware of it so you can take steps to combat them. Heart disease, strokes, and cancer are all things that can be passed down the family line. Speak with your doctor and answer their questions about your family medical history and they’ll be able to tell you the warning signs that you need to be looking out for.

Embarrassing Issues

So many people make the mistake of letting health problems go unnoticed because they’re embarrassed about asking their doctor about them. When you’ve got sensitive issues, it can be a little awkward to bring it up but doctors have heard it all before. They won’t judge you and it is illegal for them to tell anybody what you’ve spoken about so there’s really no need to worry. Leaving it will only make the problem worse and you’ll have to tell the doctor about it at some point so you may as well mention it sooner rather than later.

Am I Sleeping Enough?

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Lack of sleep causes all sorts of health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It can also severely impair your brain function which affects every aspect of your day to day life. People often quote eight hours as the optimum amount of sleep but the truth is, it depends on the person. Between seven and nine hours is a good guide but as long as you aren’t experiencing any negative effects from lack of sleep you should be fine. Speak to your doctor and ask them to check for any signs that you aren’t sleeping enough.

Sleeping too much can be just as bad as not sleeping enough. Oversleeping can increase your risk of obesity as well as damage your mental health so make sure you keep an eye on that as well as your risk of not sleeping enough.

Next time you go for a checkup, ask these questions and you’ll get a much clearer picture of the state of your health.