Medical examinations can be divided into necessary or unnecessary, but the problem is that for ordinary people, who are not "experts", it is difficult to tell the difference. Unnecessary visits are a burden for the National Health Service and for insurance companies; over time they can lead to an increase in costs and / or a reduction in the quality of services. People typically make an appointment because they have uncomfortable symptoms and don't know the causes or remedies. By setting up a healthy lifestyle and monitoring vital functions at home, you can avoid going to the doctor unnecessarily.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Setting a Healthy Lifestyle
Step 1. Get more physical activity
An important factor in reducing the risk of obesity, cardiovascular problems and type 2 diabetes is regular exercise. People who are overweight, diabetic and / or with heart problems go to the doctor more often than those who do not have these diseases - in most cases this is obviously a necessary visit, but sometimes it could be avoided. Even just half an hour each day of light or moderate cardiovascular activity correlates with better health and longevity; this means having to go to the doctor less frequently and reduce the burdens for the National Health Service.
- Start by taking a walk around the neighborhood (if time and personal safety allow you) and with time committed to more difficult routes, treadmills and / or bicycles.
- Don't start with vigorous exercise, such as a long run or swimming right away, especially if you have heart conditions.
- You can eventually supplement the activity with strength exercises, because larger muscle fibers help strengthen bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, the most common causes of older adults to see their doctor.
Step 2. Eat right and maintain a normal weight
The diet of Western countries, including Italy, is increasingly rich in calories, harmful trans fats, refined carbohydrates and sodium. For this reason, it should come as no surprise that the obesity rate has increased dramatically in recent years. In the United States alone, for example, about 35% of the adult population is currently obese. Obesity dramatically increases the risk of numerous serious diseases, such as diabetes, heart problems, various forms of cancer, arthritis, autoimmune diseases and frequent disorders of the musculoskeletal system. These are all diseases that involve a great deal of money because they require a lot of doctor's visits, treatments and medications. Just to give you an idea, medical bills for obese Americans (including doctor's visits) average $ 1500 more annually than for people of normal weight.
- Eat healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats derived from vegetables (found in seeds, nuts and vegetable oils), reduce saturated ones (of animal origin) and eliminate trans (artificial) ones.
- Cut back on sugary sodas and energy drinks (which are high in fructose syrup) and drink more plain water and fresh fruit juices instead.
- Calculate and track your body mass index (BMI). This is a value that is used to understand if you are overweight or obese. To calculate it, you must divide the weight in kilograms by the square of the height (expressed in meters). If you get a result between 18, 5 and 24, 9 the weight is considered healthy; if the calculation shows a BMI between 25 and 29, 9 you are considered overweight; if you exceed the value of 30 you are classified obese.
Step 3. Don't smoke and don't drink too much
Bad habits, such as cigarette smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, are known to cause various health problems and symptoms that prompt people to go to the doctor, even when it is not strictly necessary. Smoking causes various widespread damage in the body, especially in the throat and lungs. In addition to lung cancer, it can trigger asthma and emphysema, problems that warrant medical visits. Alcohol is equally harmful to the body, especially the stomach, liver and pancreas. Alcoholism is also associated with nutritional deficiencies, cognitive impairments (dementia) and depression.
- Consider using nicotine patches or chewing gum to try to quit. If you try to break the habit suddenly, too many side effects (excessive desire to smoke, depression, headache, weight gain) often occur, which can lead to unnecessary doctor's appointments.
- At the same time, stop drinking alcohol or limit it to no more than one drink per day.
- A high percentage of people who smoke a lot also tend to drink alcohol regularly - these bad habits seem to support each other.
Part 2 of 2: Reduce Unnecessary Medical Visits
Step 1. Check your vital functions at home
Thanks to the availability of technology at an acceptable price, it is nowadays easy and convenient to measure vital signs at home, without having to go to the doctor for unnecessary visits. Blood pressure, heart rate and even blood sugar (blood sugar) can be easily measured at home with electronic devices made specifically for these purposes. If the data you detect is not within the normal range, you obviously have to go to the doctor, but if the values are normal, you don't necessarily have to visit. Ask your doctor what the normal values are for your health condition, bearing in mind that they vary with age.
- These home-use medical devices are readily available in pharmacies, orthopedics, medical supply stores, and rehabilitation facilities.
- It is also possible to measure cholesterol levels at home. In the past the kits for this measurement were not very accurate, but the newer ones are very close to the standard values of the analytical laboratories (with an accuracy of about 95%).
- You can analyze blood and urine with specific sticks to dip into the liquid that take on different colors by reacting to certain compounds or parameters.
Step 2. Take medications only when absolutely necessary
While some medications are obviously helpful in reducing symptoms like pain and inflammation - and some are really life-saving - keep in mind that they all have side effects. The drugs known to create numerous adverse effects are statins (prescribed for high cholesterol) and antihypertensives (for high blood pressure). If you take too many medications, but even if you strictly adhere to the dosage recommended by your doctor, you will inevitably experience side effects, which in turn require further visits to the doctor. Learn about the risk of adverse effects from prescribed therapy. Also do research on alternative (phytotherapeutic) remedies for some ailments, as they can cause minor and less severe negative reactions (although these natural methods are often not supported by sufficient scientific research and there is not always evidence to prove their effectiveness).
- Statins generally cause muscle pain, liver problems, digestive system problems, rashes, redness of the face, memory loss and confusion.
- Herbal remedies that can help lower cholesterol include artichoke extract, fish oil, psyllium blond, flaxseed, green tea extract, niacin (vitamin B3) and bran. of oats.
- Antihypertensives usually cause cough, dizziness, light-headedness, nausea, nervousness, fatigue, lethargy, headache, impotence, and chronic cough.
- Herbal remedies that can help lower blood pressure are niacin (vitamin B3), omega-3 fatty acids, coenzyme Q10, and olive oil.
Step 3. Schedule an annual medical examination
One way to reduce them in the long run is to set one each year for general screening, for any vaccines, and to identify possible health problems that need to be addressed before they worsen. The Regions provide a series of prevention tests for certain categories of people; your family doctor could therefore prescribe routine tests every year (if they deem them necessary), while if you have private health insurance, the policy could provide for a complete annual check-up.
A preventive visit is done when you feel good and not when you have particular or specific diseases or physical problems
Step 4. Contact your local emergency medical service or minor ailments clinic when your family doctor is not available
A simple way to reduce unnecessary visits to the family doctor is to visit the doctor's office or local health facilities more often to obtain vaccines, renew prescriptions, undergo vital signs checks, and for a basic physical visit. In addition, more and more pharmacies offer this type of services, for example days dedicated to particular pathologies, with the presence of a specialized doctor who subjects customers to free screening tests. There is not always an expert doctor present, but qualified nursing staff or medical specialists or recent graduates.
- The most common vaccines for adults and children available in pharmacies are those for influenza and hepatitis B.
- When you go to the doctor's office or even to pharmacies for this type of service you do not need to make an appointment, although sometimes it is necessary to wait some time before being assisted; you can take advantage of the wait to do some shopping (if the pharmacy is inside a commercial area), in order to pass the time.
Advice
- Mild or moderate musculoskeletal pain (due to strains or sprains) often resolves in three to seven days without the need for medical attention.
- Most upper respiratory infections run their course within a week without the need for antibiotics, especially if it is viral in nature.
- Reducing your stress levels can have a major impact on your health and spare you the need to visit your doctor regularly.
- It is no longer necessary to have a Pap smear every year. New medical guidelines recommend doing it every three years, starting at ages 21 to 65.
