Check-ups   "I don't go to doctors!"
(usually young, has never had any major health issues, probably a bit anxious and wont admit it).

Some people think medical check-ups are a waste of time and don't actually achieve much, others say its just doctors trying to drum up business. We disagree.

People visit the doctor when they are well with the aim of remaining well. Besides, if you ever do get something seriously wrong with you, you might find it easier to relate to a doctor you know.

There are a few specific screening tests that are important and these warrant a periodic check-up. Another advantage of seeing a doctor while you're well is that it raises your awareness about your health: a gentle reminder about exercise, alcohol, sun protection, stress management, and encourages you to think about any odd symptoms you may have had.

One misconception does need clarifying though. Sometimes people expect a battery of tests to "see if I'm alright, or if I've got cancer, doc". It doesn't work that way. With a few exceptions, tests work by answering specific questions - are the kidneys the cause of all this swelling, or is the liver affected by some drug, or how severe is this infection. Doing tests randomly can lead to finding things that aren't actually problems but they need explaining and harm can come from trying to investigate or even treat them. This is one reason why it sometimes seems as if doctors aren't interested in pursuing mildly abnormal results. Back     Cancer There is a difference between finding and treating abnormalities that will probably lead to cancer, and detecting cancer as early as possible. There are many early detection checks that can be done for different cancers, however its usually best to target these in some way. For example, people who work in the rubber and dye industries can be checked for early signs of bladder cancer, which they are known to be predisposed to, but for most of us this would be a complete waste of time (nonetheless, if you see blood in your urine, have the doctor find out why it was there).

If a parent, a brother, or sister of yours has had cancer, particularly at a younger age, you may be more likely to develop a similar cancer and a check-up to try and detect early cancer of the same type can be a good idea.
If you have had exposure to certain things, you may be at greater risk of certain cancers, example being skin cancer for those with sun-damaged skin (very common around here after about 40 years of age), and liver cancer for those who have had some kinds of chronic infectious hepatitis.

Early detection checks include

Systematically testing well people for cancer, as far as we presently know, works best for cervical and breast cancer. Back     Children We offer a free appointment prior to having standard immunisations with the nurse. The aim of this is to clear up any loose ends or discuss unresolved issues, and its an opportunity to review growth and development.

These are at

Any child with an on-going condition should see the doctor at least annually as the need for treatment often changes as they grow. For example, it isn't uncommon to see children with asthma who have inadequate doses of preventers, or who only see the doctor when they're unwell; maybe the family doesn't want to acknowledge that the asthma still exists, one or both parents don't want to "pump my kids full of drugs", or perhaps they just don't get around to it.
Other examples include persisting eczema, epilepsy. Its one thing seeing someone who is unwell with an on-going disease, but you might get more mileage out of taking steps to stay well. Back     Heart The NZ Heart Foundation recommends all men from 45 years and all women from 55 years old should know their risk of heart disease, as this can be quantified with some simple measurements and a blood test.

If you have major risk factors such as

then you should know your risk of heart disease 10 years earlier (35 years for men, 45 years for women) Back     Men - Well Man checks From age 45y onwards we send out periodic recalls for a Well Man Check, looking at lifestyle issues such as weight, diet, exercise, and more specific issues such as risk of heart disease and prostate problems. At this age, men should know their risk of heart disease. Over 45 years they should have their prostate checked at least every couple of years which means a physical examination, as a blood test alone may be incomplete.

Most of these invitations get binned if they're opened at all, it probably looks suspiciously like a bill. However, men do come in for these for different reasons, sometimes they've been chased in by their partner "I have to have regular check-ups, so does the baby, so should you, take some responsibility for your health".

We looked at the check's we'd done over a year and the outcomes. A few important disorders were detected while something effective could be done about them, all well and good. However, the chief benefit seemed to be that lifestyle issues were discussed, that men were reminded to watch their alcohol consumption, particularly if they drank more than the doctor, were encouraged to eat well, to get regular exercise, take steps to minimise the impact of stress, and generally to feel positive about the fact they were showing concern for their wellbeing. You want to enjoy the fruits of all your labour, your grandchildren, and in turn to set a good example to others around you.

My German auto is almost 20 years old, it runs nice and sweetly. My German mechanic says "See me every 10,000km for new oil, filter, and fluids. This car hasn't gone halfway yet!" Its a basic running cost like putting petrol in the tank, and it works. I'll bet many people reading this spend more on their car each year than they do on preserving their health.

Women have periodic checks on their oils and fluids. Statistically they live longer than men. Get in the habit. Back     Regular Medications If you take regular medication by repeat prescription, you should see your doctor at least once a year to make sure the condition is being treated as well as it can be, and that there isn't anything new you need to know about your health or the medication you take. Maybe we've found out something you should know about your medication, maybe you have a question you aren't asking. And to those people who say "The doctors just want their $50", you're insulting yourself.

For example, many people in NZ who get repeats of their asthma medications still haven't found out about some of the new inhalers available that can make a big difference to their health. Independent surveys show that as many as 60% of people in NZ who have asthma, manage their asthma inadequately.     Skin If you have sun-damaged skin - and this applies to most kiwis over the age of 40 years - getting your skin examined annually for early skin cancers is wise. You don't need to see a skin specialist to have this done; the doctors at Anne Street see and treat skin cancer almost every day of the week and are experienced at diagnosing and managing many skin cancers.

Many pre-cancerous spots can be simply treated with freezing or a special erosive skin cream before they become cancerous, and of course established cancer is better removed before it becomes large or spreads elsewhere in the body.

Liquid nitrogen - we get this in on Monday afternoon and it usually lasts until Friday, so if you want to have warts or sun spots frozen, please come in on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday before it evaporates.

Molemaps are popular but are only as good as the person doing the photography. Then you need to have the procedure done again at some interval to see if there has been a change. We know of no reliable research which has ever been produced showing that Molemaps make a difference to your health in the long-term, which may be why it isn't publicly funded in a country with such a high incidence of skin cancer. However, if you have had melanoma, or are at high risk, perhaps because a family member has had melanoma, intuitively it makes good sense to have the photography done. Back     Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (See FPA site for youth)

Often these have trivial symptoms or no symptoms at all. Surveys have found as many as (50%) adults have had contact with a genital wart virus, some types of which are implicated in causing cervical cancer, and as many as (30%) sexually active young adults have had silent chlamydia infection, which may cause fertility problems.
Make a 15 minute appointment to screen for STDs or diagnose and manage symptoms. Just book a standard appointment, but be matter of fact and tell the doctor straight out what you want to get checked.     Weight loss This has been a real issue in many peoples lives for decades. It has been having a lot of publicity in the new millenium as its realised that more children are over-weight and are likely to suffer ill-effects as a result. There is no magic formula, or clever diet even though something new comes along every year. "Eat less, move more", you can't improve on this advice.

We do have some scales in the practice which estimate what percentage of your weight is fat. They work by sending an electrical current through your foot and are much more accurate than the BMI calculation as they aren't fooled by people who have bulky muscles, or "large bones". These scales can help you decide if you really need to loose weight, and monitor your progress more accurately than ordinary scales as exercise programmes sometimes cause muscles to get fuller which may slow your overall weight-loss, even though fat percentage is dropping. Back     Women - Well women checks Women seem to be more used to having check-up's than men, partly due to cervical smear recalls. Your first-ever smear is repeated in 12 months to get a reliable baseline, then these are usually done every 3 years, or annually if there have been previous abnormalities.
Mammograms every 2 years are presently publicly funded for women from age 50 to 65 years, although many start having these in their 40's which is probably a wise idea, although the xray may be more difficult to interpret and false alarms may be more common. Mammograms by themselves are not fool-proof and are meant to follow a physical examination by your doctor.

We use the term "well woman check" to refer to the above screening procedures. Please book a double appointment if you have a list of things you want to discuss or check on besides your smear and breast exam. Everybody wants to be economical with their time and the cost of seeing the doctor, but trying to squeeze lots of issues into one appointment may lead to incomplete assessments, short-cuts, and things being missed out, in short, dissatisfaction.  

Check-ups:
Cancer
Children
Heart
Men
Regular medication
Skin
STDs
Weight
Women