How Often Should You Go to the Doctor? A Simple Guide

Did you know that about 44% of people surveyed didn’t go to the doctor when they were sick or injured a few years ago? The truth is that people just don’t always like going to the doctor for a medley of reasons, including cost, discomfort, nerves, or something else entirely.

Going to the doctor clearly isn’t always something that people look forward to, but it is an important part of being healthy and happy as you age.

When you start searching “best doctor near me” and look into choosing a  doctor that you can visit, you might be thinking about if it’s really even time for you to go yet.

So, how often should you go to the doctor? Keep reading to learn the basics that you should consider.

How Often Should the Average Person Make an Appointment?

In a very general sense, the average person should be seeing their primary care physician every one to three years for a basic checkup. This is something that is important to do to prevent disease and promote a healthy lifestyle.

A lot of people also have the option of getting important vaccines during these visits, and you can get an annual physical to ensure that your physical health is where it should be.

What if You Have a Chronic Illness?

Any person that has a chronic medical illness should be seeing their doctor more often than this. Most primary care physicians or specialists (depending on the illness) will recommend visits at least once every 6 months. Visit only the doctor who is specialized in the treatment of the ailment that you are suffering from. Reputed doctors with good experience like Dr. Lindsay Clark should be considered.

However, some illnesses or diagnoses warrant more often visits. For instance, if you have diabetes or cancer, you’ll have to go to the doctor much more frequently than every 6 months.

Part of the reason that people are recommended to get an annual physical is to determine if they have any type of illness that warrants more medical intervention, so even if you don’t have a chronic illness now, making those annual or bi-annual appointments are important to help prevent or diagnose future issues.

How Often Should You Go to the Doctor if Pregnant?

Pregnant women go to the doctor more often to check the progress of the pregnancy. Consistent prenatal care is essential to ensure the health of the mother and child.

In weeks 4-28, it’s recommended to have one prenatal visit per month. In weeks 28-36, one prenatal visit every other week (or every three weeks) is recommended. Toward the end of the pregnancy in weeks 36-40, doctors will recommend a visit each week.

After 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy, you’ll also be able to listen to the baby’s heartbeat at each visit, which can be a huge plus for many expecting parents.

Does Age Have an Impact?

As humans age, we start to experience more health concerns on average. While people that are 30 or younger with no health concerns can visit their doctor every two or three years without much concern, those that are over the age of 30 should be visiting their doctor each year for an annual checkup.

Diseases like diabetes, hypertension, or obesity are not always going to cause symptoms and can only be detected with the help of a doctor.

Annual physicals become extremely important after age 50. Women and men should both have regular screenings for things like colon cancer, breast cancer, or prostate cancer. In addition to this, people older than 65 have a higher risk when exposed to the flu or pneumonia, so vaccinations are essential.

Go to the Doctor as Often as Necessary

You can see that the answer to “how often should you go to the doctor?” is going to be a little bit different from person to person. However, with these basic outlines in mind, you likely have a better idea now of how often you need to be making appointments with your primary care physician.

Remember that if you ever feel like you need a doctor’s appointment for any reason, there is no harm in getting an extra checkup when you need one.

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