Healthcare professionals remind men to schedule annual visits

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - June is Men’s Health Month, the perfect time to remind men to schedule their yearly checkup.

Many men put off routine doctor visits because they feel healthy, but that can be a mistake.

"Men will often tell me, 'I don't have any problems. Everything feels fine. I don't need to see you,'" OSF Healthcare Advanced Practice Nurse Ben Guth said. "Unfortunately, all of those issues won't really present as a symptom until they're in the more moderate to severe stages."

Guth said an annual checkup is just another important responsibility in life.

"We all have our financial consultant. We all have a car that needs regular oil changes. We all have taxes that need to be filed. We all have a body that needs to be taken care of," he said.

One visit each year can help catch potential health concerns early and may prevent more complicated medical issues down the road.

"It's better to go early to get screened, to have your doctor as your health consultant, to check in once a year to make sure everything's okay, so that when you do go, you have a better idea of how it's going to turn out," Guth said.

Guth added that an annual checkup can provide something just as valuable: peace of mind.

"I can go about my day-to-day life doing what I need to do, whether that's working, putting food on the table, taking care of family. You want to have that peace of mind to know that I'm going to be there for them for a long time," Guth said.