Women have unique health needs and should see a doctor for what is known as a well-woman exam. This exam covers many different aspects of a woman?s health, including Pap smears and breast cancer screenings.
Make an appointment with a provider who cares about your symptoms and takes the time to listen. You deserve to be healthy for yourself and your loved ones!
1. They Listen
Women’s wellness clinics provide a safe space for women to receive specialized care that is gender-specific. They help patients feel confident that they are getting a quality experience from their gynecologist, nurse midwife, or other women’s health expert.
During well-woman visits, doctors and nurses take the time to listen to their patient’s concerns and make recommendations for how to stay healthy. This can include routine Pap smears, pelvic exams, mammograms, and other screenings that are specifically important for women’s health.
In addition, women are often more candid with their gynecologists and Nurse Midwives about topics that they might not discuss with other medical professionals, due to embarrassment or because they may seem minor. This open conversation can play a significant role in diagnosing conditions like ovarian, cervical, breast and vaginal cancers, fibroids, and other serious diseases.
2. They Care
Women’s health focuses on aspects of wellness that pertain disproportionately or solely to women. This can include reproductive and hormonal concerns, urinary incontinence, and gastrointestinal stress.
A regular checkup with a healthcare provider can help detect some conditions that may not be apparent at an early stage. This is especially important for women, who are more prone to certain diseases like ovarian cancer, breast cancer, heart disease, and depression.
It’s important for women of all ages to find a healthcare partner who cares about them and their health. This could be an OB/GYN, a nurse practitioner, or even a primary care physician. When a woman finds the right doctor, they can trust that person to be their advocate throughout life. They will be able to talk openly and freely about the things that matter most to them.
3. They Help You Prevent Disease
Women have unique health needs that call for specialized care. Many conditions that affect women, like ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and heart disease, can often be prevented with regular checkups and screenings.
For example, the Pap smear, recommended by ACOG and included in most women?s wellness exams, can detect abnormal cells in the cervix caused by the human papillomavirus years before the cancer develops. Clinical breast exams can also help screen for the earliest signs of breast cancer.
Other preventable diseases, like heart disease and respiratory illness, can be managed with a healthy diet, exercise, and routine medical checkups. In fact, the Affordable Care Act requires that a well-woman visit be covered without cost sharing for all women. However, many women still have difficulty prioritizing their health and accessing preventive care.
4. They Help You Manage Your Health
Women have unique health needs that must be addressed with specific care and attention. Conditions like ovarian cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and depression are common in women, making it important to find a doctor who can help you manage your symptoms and prevent them from getting worse.
During your well woman exam, your doctor will recommend certain health screenings. These tests can discover diseases at their earliest stages when they are easier to treat.
Most women juggle so many responsibilities that it can be easy to put their own health on the back burner. However, your family, friends and loved ones all depend on you to stay healthy. By scheduling your annual well-woman visit, you can ensure that you’re taking the best care of yourself possible.
5. They Help You Feel Your Best
You dedicate so much time and energy to caring for others, and you deserve the same level of care yourself. Make yourself a priority and invest in your well-being by scheduling regular appointments with women?s wellness clinics.
During a well-woman exam, a physician will review your medical history and evaluate your current health through various screenings like a mammogram or pelvic exam. These screenings are vital for women, as they can often detect symptoms of life-threatening diseases or conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed.
If you are a woman and it has been more than 12 months since your last wellness exam, schedule an appointment today. The compassionate staff at Axis Health System is here to help with all your health needs in La Plata, Montezuma and Archuleta counties.
