5 Reasons Men Should Get Annual Physicals

Your health and quality of life are directly linked, and we want to do everything we can to optimize both. At the heart of this effort is your annual physical.

So, if you fall into that camp of men who are stubborn about their health and don’t get regular physicals, we want to have a discussion with you.

As primary care and men’s health specialists, our team at CareOne Internal Medicine and Primary Care in Houston and Katy, Texas, prefers to offer top-notch preventive health care rather than sick care. This means staying on top of, if not one step ahead of, your health, and that starts with an annual physical.

1. Stay ahead of cancer through screening

There are some serious cancers that affect men. The good news is that we can screen for them. 

For example, the most common cancer in men (outside skin cancer) is prostate cancer, which will be diagnosed in nearly 314,000 men in 2025. Colorectal cancers also affect a large number of men — there will be around 55,000 diagnoses in 2025.

We have tools that allow us to screen for these potentially serious, even life-threatening diseases.

2. Track your health

When you come in for your annual physical, we gather a few vital statistics, such as your blood pressure, heart rate, and weight. These simple measurements tell us a good deal about your health and allow us to spot early problems so we can take swift action.

For example, high blood pressure is a leading risk factor for heart disease. By reviewing your numbers year over year, we can work toward keeping them within a healthy range. This applies to your weight, as well.

3. Protect yourself with vaccinations

As men get older, they can benefit from ongoing vaccinations to protect them from:

• Flu 
• COVID-19 
• Shingles
• Respiratory syncytial virus
• Pneumonia

We can also track other immunizations during your annual physicals to see if they need to be updated.

4. Monitor your sexual health

Did you know that more than half of men encounter issues with erectile dysfunction? Or that rates of sexually transmitted infections remain fairly high in the United States? We do, and a part of our men’s health care focus is your sexual health.

5. Don’t forget your mental health

Men tend to hide their emotions, so we spend some time reviewing your mental health during your annual exam. Anxiety levels are at all-time highs and depression numbers are on the rise.

As you can see, your annual physical covers some important territory when it comes to your health, so this is one appointment you shouldn’t miss.

To schedule your annual exam today, contact CareOne Internal Medicine and Primary Care to book an appointment.