High blood pressure (HBP) can be treated with lifestyle changes or medicine. Most people who have HBP will need lifelong treatment. Sticking to your treatment plan is important. It can help prevent or delay problems related to HBP and help you live and stay active longer.

Shots may hurt a little, but the diseases they can prevent are a lot worse. Some are even life-threatening. Immunization shots, or vaccinations, are essential. They protect against things like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough). Vaccines contain germs that have been killed or weakened. When given to a healthy person, the vaccine triggers the immune system to respond and thus build immunity.

A Pap test is a test of a sample of cells taken from a woman's cervix or vagina. The test is used to look for changes in the cells of the cervix and vagina that show cancer or conditions that may develop into cancer.

It is the best tool to detect precancerous conditions and hidden, small tumors that may lead to cervical cancer. If detected early, cervical cancer can be cured.

A physical examination helps your doctor determine the general status of your health. It is also gives you a chance to talk to them about ongoing pain or symptoms that you are experiencing, or any other health concerns you might have. The examination is recommended at least once a year, especially in people over the age of 50.

A urine test checks different components of urine, a waste product made by the kidneys. A regular urine test may be done to help find the cause of symptoms. The test can give information about your health and problems you may have.

Could you have an outdoor allergy to something like pollen or mold? You may need skin testing to be sure. Skin tests are a simple, easy way to show what's triggering your stuffy nose and cough. Once you know what your allergic triggers are, you can protect yourself and control your symptoms.

A blood test measures the levels of several substances in the blood (such as electrolytes). This tells your doctor about your general health, helps look for certain problems, and finds out whether treatment for a specific problem is working. Some tests look at more substances in the blood than others do.The type of test you have done depends on what information your doctor is looking for.

An echocardiogram is a test that uses ultrasound to evaluate your heart muscle and heart valves. Your doctor may perform an echocardiogram to:

• Assess the overall function of your heart
• Determine the presence of many types of heart disease
• Follow and evaluate the effectiveness of medical treatments

An electrocardiogram (also called EKG or ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of your heart through small electrode patches attached to the skin of your chest, arms, and legs. An EKG may be part of a routine physical exam or it may be used as a test for heart disease. An EKG can be used to further investigate symptoms related to heart problems.

EKGs are quick, safe, painless, and inexpensive tests that are routinely performed if a heart condition is suspected.

Spirometry is the best test to assess lung function. It often is used to evaluate a person who has a chronic cough and sputum (mucus) production and a history of risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), even if shortness of breath is not present. It is also used to find out whether a specific therapy has improved lung function or whether your lung disease is getting worse.

An abscess is a tender mass generally surrounded by a colored area from pink to deep red. Painful and warm to touch, abscesses can show up any place on your body. Inflammation around a hair follicle can also lead to the formation of an abscess, which is called a boil (furuncle).

Unlike other infections, antibiotics alone will not usually cure an abscess. In general an abscess must open and drain in order for it to improve. Sometimes draining occurs on its own, but generally it must be opened by a doctor in a procedure called incision and drainage.

Allergy shots help your body get used to allergens, the things that trigger an allergic reaction. They don’t cure allergies, but eventually your symptoms will get better and you may not have allergic reactions as often. Allergy shots, also called "immunotherapy," may work for you if allergy drugs don’t work well or you have symptoms more than three months a year.

Diabetes is managed by keeping the blood sugar under control and as close to normal as possible. Dealing with diabetes can be very complicated, and the doctor needs to have as much information as possible to help you establish an effective management plan. This plan can include anything from lifestyle modifications to dietary changes.

You may receive medicine through a nebulizer treatment, also called a breathing treatment or aerosol treatment. A nebulizer changes liquid medicine into a fine mist to let you breathe it into your airways. Most often the breathing treatments are given to help you breathe easier. How often you have a treatment depends on how short of breath you are, the amount of wheezing you have and the type of medicine you take.

In addition to helping you feel and look better, reaching a healthier body weight is good for your overall health and well being. If you are overweight or obese, you have a greater risk of developing many diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer. The secret to success is making changes and sticking with them. With your doctor, you can learn which changes you can make to have a lasting impact on your body weight.