Do You Really Need That Yearly Checkup?

It’s time to visit the doctor for your annual checkup.

Or is it?

A decade ago, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a group commissioned by Congress, found that those physical exams you get every year are unnecessary. And more than 20 years ago, a government agency determined that one-size-fits-all annual physicals should be replaced with periodic, individualized exams based on a patient’s health profile. This, however, might be news to your doctor.

Last year, the University of Colorado published a survey that found that physicians were largely unaware of federal guidelines that say healthy, asymptomatic adults do not need an annual exam. Nearly all doctors surveyed think physicals are beneficial because of the bonding that takes place. And, despite its findings, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force still hasn’t taken an official stance against annual physicals.

“It’s a false dichotomy,” says Dr. Diana Petitti, vice chairwoman of the task force, which continues to research preventive medicine. “You don’t need to see a doctor every year. However, does that mean you should see a doctor only when you’re sick? We stop short of that.”

When should you see your doctor?

If you’re feeling good and haven’t been to the doctor in awhile, don’t fret about never scheduling an annual exam. But if you do have symptoms, while you’re at the doctor, ask him to explain what tests you might need that are unrelated to your present woes. For example, if your family has a history of stroke, after you’re 18, you should keep tabs on your blood pressure. (Read more of the task force’s recommendations on its Web site.)

While there aren’t a slew of tests everyone needs, there are things you do need to check regularly, Dr. Pettiti notes. The task force suggests you see the dentist once or twice a year. But as far as annual medical tests, those depend on your age, family history, gender and personal risk profile. Testing blood pressure and cholesterol and colorectal screenings are services most people should do periodically.  In addition, women should see a healthcare provider annually for a breast exam and to discuss what age to start their annual mammograms.  A pap smear should be done annually until age 30, and then may be able to be spaced out for some women less often.  But remember, a pap smear and a pelvic exam are not the same thing, and the pelvic exam should continue annually for all women.

If you have a family history of glaucoma, getting it checked starting at 45 might be a safer bet than the usual 65.

“Obviously, if you’re losing your sight, you’re going to come in,” says New Jersey optometrist Madeline Romeu, who says her contact lens patients have to visit ever year. “I once saw a 17-year-old who said, ‘I see shadows to the left.’ We did a visual field on him and he had a pituitary tumor.”