Thread: Don't bother with routine medical checkups, study says

Interesting article.

I've had doubts about the efficacy of these for years.

Anyway,

For many people, getting an annual physical checkup is part of a healthy lifestyle. So what if someone told you that such visits may not actually have any impact on your health?
According to The Washington Post, a large new study suggests physical exams are more or less useless.
The study, by researchers with the international Cochrane Review, examined a collection of data involving more than 182,000 patients and compared the death rates between those who had general checkups and those who didn’t.


General exams had “no effect on the risk of death, or on the risk of cardiovascular diseases or cancer,” the study found.
Moreover, the Post reports that while the researchers noticed an increase in diagnoses among those who had general exams, those diagnoses did not necessarily improve their health.
“Increased diagnostic and therapeutic activity would be expected if general health checks led to improved health,” the study said, according to the newspaper. “However, more diagnoses in the absence of health improvement would indicate overdiagnosis and overtreatment.”
An article in The Wall Street Journal points out that there are some limitations to this study. Most notably, collection of the data used in the review began decades ago and may not account for how checkups are conducted today. For instance, guidelines for treating certain conditions like high blood pressure have changed.
Nonetheless, the findings add to the debate over the need for blanket health exams. Already in recent years, recommendations have changed about how early and how frequently women should receive breast cancer screening mammograms, as well as how often they need pap tests.
For men, the Globe and Mail’s health expert Sheila Wijayasinghe advised that a healthy male at the age of 35 does not need an annual physical; she recommended that those between 30 and 45 have regular checkups every two to three years.
But while you may not need as many checkups as you perhaps had thought, previous research has shown there is good reason not to abandon them just yet.
L. Ebony Boulware of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore told The Wall Street Journal that general checkups do help patients get some preventative care and alleviate their anxieties.
"What may be very important about these exams is that they provide an opportunity for patients to get together with their health-care providers, talk about their health risks and plan for getting recommended tests," he said.

Don't bother with routine medical checkups, study says - The Globe and Mail

i read a study that said i shouldn't look to Thailand-based TEFL fora for medical advice. i've had doubts about TEFL fora as a source of medical advice for years.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I stayed away from doctors my entire life. When I was 18 years old, I went for a check-up. My cigar-chomping doctor asked me, 'What do you do??' because I was extremely muscular at the time. 'I workout ... do gymnastics, bicycle ...' Between puffs of smoke he said, 'Well, cut it out! You're too muscular for your age.'

As one who goes years (15 sometimes) without a check-up; I whole heartedly agree.
But then I'm also very in tune with how I feel; and I don't have a view of the medical profession as god-like in their knowledge or abilities.
At 67 yo I feel pretty damn good and follow my own council on all things relating to my daily routines and behavior.
I eat meat a few times a week; but mostly grains and veggies. Alcohol is my friend but in moderation (G&T mostly).
Follow your gut instincts and know how you're feeling, both physically and mentally; longevity is not as important as quality.
Cheers.

Originally Posted by THX 1133

(G&T mostly).

that would be the sum total of my medical advice. i'd say i must be malaria-proof by now. the real question isn't should i have a reg'lar checkup, but should i pony up the extra 300 baht for Tanqueray or stick with Beefeater?

Originally Posted by 3leggedkitty

then the routine checks discovered heart disease.

With proper attention it's reversible. Chocolate, oatmeal, veggies, grains and nuts. You're way too young for that shit.
Proper alcohol consumption is also a benefit; red wines, gin (many herbs) and a positive attitude.

Originally Posted by swampy

But how will you know when something is about to break or fail? No one lasts forever.

I drove a 1969 Dodge Dart (I bought it second-hand) for 9 years. I remember going to one garage where the mechanic shook his head and said, 'the engine mounts need to be replaced.' Another mechanic said, 'I'd take the radiator cap off, drive another car under the cap, put the cap on the new car.' I drove that car 9 years, cross-country two times and the car 'died' when a drunk driver drove straight into the back of my beloved Dart, causing the gas tank to rupture, the car bursting into flames. I'd say a Viking style funeral is the way to go. No one lasts forever ... check!

---Update---

Originally Posted by 3leggedkitty

learning shit like that just weakens you.

Remember Jim Fixx? Mr. Jogging dropped dead on the side of the road, but he was in great shape right till he checked out.

I was told by an emminant doctor that I would be dead by the time I got to 40. I am now 55, and though I have some problems, I have outlived him (just like Groucho Marks!)

Originally Posted by zeusbheld

but should i pony up the extra 300 baht for Tanqueray or stick with Beefeater?

You know, I'm a Bombay guy; but I can't really afford the price tag here (฿604 last I checked-70 cl), so I go with Gilbey's.
Passable, but with tonic; no problem. But for neat; Bombay (and not the Saffire) is the Bee's Knees for me.