Most Well Woman Exams Are Too Little, Too Late – Is Yours?
How many times have you looked at your calendar and experienced that sinking feeling when you realize it’s time for your annual Well Woman Exam? And how relieved are you when it’s all over and your practitioner has said your results are fine? That means you’re in good health, right? Your breasts and reproductive organs have checked out fine, so it’s no more worries for another year. Phew.
But what about your low energy? And all those extra pounds you’ve gained over the past few months? Maybe it’s a thyroid problem – hasn’t your Mom got that? And cancer is becoming a concern since it runs in the family. What should you do about that? Maybe your choice of birth control no longer suits you, but you haven’t got time to find out what’s new on the market. Could you be entering menopause? Your cycle is fluctuating and your moods are up and down. Is it time to have your bone health checked?
But you’ve just had your Well Woman and everything is OK. And you don’t want another trip to your health care provider just because you have a few aches and pains or worries about your family health history. So let’s just wait and see what happens and deal with these issues as, and when, they present a serious problem.
Stop right there!
A Well Woman Exam should be exactly what the name suggests. Whether you are having your very first Well Woman exam or your 30th, it should be an opportunity to ask any questions about issues which may be causing you concern, from fertility to cancer signs to inherited disorders. It should provide you with an annual report on your overall state of health, and not just give the “ok” to your breasts and reproductive organs.
All too often, a Well Woman Exam only includes manual breast exam, a Pap test and a pelvic exam. Typically, the patient’s vitals (blood pressure, weight, temperature etc) will be checked and some practitioners may also order a mammogram. Those tests all provide very worthwhile data but how complete is the typical Well Woman Exam in presenting the true picture of a woman’s overall health?
Peace of Mind
The annual Well Woman exam should be tailored for each person depending on her stage of life and her symptoms. It’s important to make sure that each of the delicate structures in the female body is working normally, and that no nutritional deficiency, infection or environmental toxicity is having an adverse effect. It is also the chance for you to discuss any fears or worries you may have about serious illness like cancer or diabetes or other issues like weight gain or low energy.
Dr. David Minkoff – Dr. David Minkoff graduated from the University of Wisconsin Medical School in 1974 and was elected to the