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Preventative care is a type of health care that is used to prevent diseases from developing or to detect them early, when they are most treatable. Preventative care can include things like:
- Immunizations: Immunizations are shots that help protect you from getting sick. Some common immunizations include the flu shot, the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, and the chickenpox vaccine.
- Screenings: Screenings are tests that can help detect diseases early, when they are most treatable. Some common screenings include the Pap test for cervical cancer, the mammogram for breast cancer, and the colonoscopy for colon cancer.
- Healthy lifestyle habits: Healthy lifestyle habits can help you stay healthy and prevent diseases. Some healthy lifestyle habits include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.
Preventative care is important because it can help you stay healthy and live a longer, healthier life. It can also save you money on health care costs in the long run.
If you are not sure what preventative care is right for you, talk to your doctor. They can help you create a personalized plan to stay healthy.
Here are some of the benefits of preventative care:
- Prevents diseases from developing. Preventative care can help prevent diseases from developing in the first place. For example, getting the flu shot can help prevent you from getting the flu.
- Detects diseases early. If a disease does develop, preventative care can help detect it early, when it is most treatable. For example, getting a mammogram can help detect breast cancer early, when it is most treatable.
- Reduces the risk of complications. If a disease is detected early, it can be treated more effectively and may reduce the risk of complications. For example, treating high blood pressure early can help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Saves money. Preventative care can save you money in the long run by preventing diseases from developing or by detecting them early, when they are most treatable. For example, the cost of treating a heart attack is much higher than the cost of treating high blood pressure.
If you are not sure what preventative care is right for you, talk to your doctor. They can help you create a personalized plan to stay healthy.