Regular check ups and health screenings can help you avoid serious diseases. Unfortunately, too many people only visit the doctor when they're sick. Woodbridge, VA, physician Dr. Deana Al-Khateeb at Ridgeview Internal Medicine explains how you can benefit from preventative care.

What is preventative care?

It's much easier to prevent health problems than to treat them. Unfortunately, if you don't visit the doctor for wellness visits, you'll be unable to identify your risk factors for common diseases and conditions. For example, high cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease. If you never have a blood test, you may not realize you have the condition until significant damage has been done to your heart.

What does preventative care cover?

In addition to an annual physical exam, preventative care may also include several types of screenings, including:

• Blood Tests: Blood test can detect type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, thyroid disease, anemia, HIV and other diseases and conditions. Because there are no symptoms in the early stages of many diseases, blood tests are important diagnostic tools.
• Blood Pressure Screenings: High blood pressure can cause strokes, heart disease, and heart failure. If your blood pressure is only slightly high during a visit to our Woodbridge office, you may be able to lower it with exercise, weight loss, and a healthy diet. Blood pressure medication will help you avoid the devastating consequences of the condition if making lifestyle changes doesn't lower your blood pressure.
• Weight Checks: An expanding waistline doesn't only affect your appearance, but can have a serious impact on your health. We can offer advice that will help you slim down and improve your health.
• Breast and Pelvic Examinations: Both types of examinations help your doctor spot abnormalities or signs of cancer in your breasts and reproductive organs.
• Mammograms: Mammograms detect lumps deep inside your breasts. If you do happen to have breast cancer, early treatment is the best way to protect your health.
• Prostate Examinations: Prostate examinations are particularly important if you're a man over 40. About one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Association.

Maintain your good health with preventative care. Call Woodbridge, VA, physician Dr. Deana Al-Khateeb at Ridgeview Internal Medicine at (703) 494-4116 to schedule a check up.