Medical problems can crop up at any time in a person's life, particularly ones that people are genetically predisposed toward getting. Finding out your family's medical history may seem tedious, but it can provide your physician, and yourself, with important information about symptoms you may be experiencing or may develop as you get older. Many diseases, if caught early on, can be managed or even treated effectively, but only if you take the time to understand why it is important to know your family's medical history.
Genetic Testing
Genetic testing is a method by which medical professionals can determine your susceptibility to certain kinds of diseases. Though it is an important tool, it is far from being a perfect one; there are many hereditary diseases that the test just does not catch. Family medical history, however, provides important clues about what health concerns you may develop over time. Finding out a family's medical history, even seemingly insignificant aspects, is similar to when a detective interviews witnesses about a crime; even small clues can make or break a case.
Silent Killers
Some diseases, such as heart disease or high blood pressure, usually have no warning signs before a devastating episode strikes. By informing your physician, and yourself, about your family's medical history, you can prevent or at least ameliorate the effects of these so-called "silent killers" before they become life-threatening.
Cancer
Cancer is perhaps the most difficult disease to treat, especially if a person prone to certain kinds of cancer is ignorant of their susceptibility to them. For example, breast cancer tends to strike women who are genetically pre-disposed to the disease more often than those who have no family history of breast cancer. Though genetic pre-disposition is no guarantee of cancer (each person is different), that person's physician may schedule more regular mammograms in order to catch the disease early in the event it does appear.
Mental Disease
Though few people like to talk about mental disease, it is still a reality for millions of people. Conditions such as alzheimers, schizophrenia, and even depression can be genetically passed on from one generation to another. Knowing your history can help your physician or mental health specialist not only catch early warning signs, but also schedule a treatment regimen that may allow you to live a completely normal life.
Environment and Habits
Diseases and chronic illnesses are caused by a complex mixture of causal factors; in addition to genetics, such factors as personal behavior and environment affect the possibility of becoming ill. If a person is aware of his family's predisposition towards certain diseases, such as diabetes or cancer, he can alter his lifestyle, habits, and even living environments to lessen the likelihood of becoming ill. For example, if a person is genetically pre-disposed to diabetes, she may be careful about her sugar intake, exercise regularly, and manage her weight better in order to prevent the onset of the disease.
Tags: family medical history, medical history, your family, your family medical, your physician
