Why You Should Care About Preventative Care

There is an old adage: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Truisms like this stand the test of time largely, well, because they are true. Fortifying the body against attack makes more sense—does it not?—than waiting for an invasion. Yet many grow up believing there is a pill for every problem, that good health is achieved between illnesses. In fact, the fewer maladies a person contracts, the better the chance for longevity and high quality of life. Beyond this self-evident fact, preventing sickness saves potential patients in both time and money. This is why health plans are investing more in preventative care. Paying a little up front precludes a larger bill later.

Building Strength and Immunity

It is safe to say that a stroke—no matter how minor—does not enhance physical or mental health. More serious strokes can result in long-term or permanent, paralysis, blindness or inability to speak. They can also expedite early death. While strokes can be caused by trauma, most cases involve patients with high blood pressure. Regular blood pressure screenings can alert people to conditions like hypertension that make stroke more likely. In turn, they can make lifestyle changes and receive medications that can ward off the specter of stroke and all of its debilitating effects. Other screenings—for diabetes, cholesterol or lung cancer, for example—likewise give people the information they need to stave off bodily degeneration and breakdown. Even certain surgical procedures can be preventative. LASIK surgery, to name one, can slow the effects of wet age-related macular degeneration and stave off serious vision loss.

Enjoying Life Outside the Doctor’s Office
Chronically unhealthy individuals spend much of their time going to physician appointments, pharmacies and outpatient procedures, not to mention the time admitted to hospitals. Illness not only consumes their bodies, but also their days, weeks and years. Take pneumonia, for instance. A senior citizen who survives this infection might require several months for full recovery. With a simple preventative vaccination, she can very well avoid the torment and have her life back. Does it not make sense to be vigilant about vaccines instead of lax? 

Managing the Bottom Line
Crass as it sounds, it must be said: preventative care is far cheaper than diagnostic and curative care. Regular bone density tests inform patients as to whether they are susceptible to degenerative conditions like osteoporosis. Once afflicted, a person can suffer from collapsed vertebra, chronic back pain, a stooped posture and bones that break more easily. Treatment for these conditions is pricey, especially in the advanced stages. However, with the information from a screening in hand, an individual can take measures to keep this disease at bay—a calcium-rich diet, weight-bearing exercise and medications that help rebuild bone tissue. The cost of these is small compared to the treatment of bone-setting, spine surgery or hormone therapy. These procedures will eat away at savings even with the best insurance plan.

With proper care given to preventative care, not only will many costly procedures be avoided, but you can live a fuller, richer, longer life. You will spend less time in hospitals, and enjoy happy, healthy times with your family.