New Year, New You: Start With An Annual Physical!
Yearly physicals aren’t just for children; adults are as much in need of a physical every year as their children are! In fact, adults likely need a physical even more than children do as the years go on. As we age, there are conditions and concerns that can crop up that a yearly physical can help catch before it becomes dangerous. You never know when it might save your life! If you want to know what to expect during your yearly exam, read on!
What To Expect
During every visit to your physician, there are a few things you expect, and these same things will occur when you go for a yearly physical. These include having your temperature, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and pulse being taken. Each of these can be a window into your overall health and reveal potential problems, but they aren’t comprehensive. When you get a full physical, you can expect to have your nerves tested; a full body examination performed looking for abnormalities in your extremities, skin, and abdomen. Blood screens are often included as well to identify concerns with hormone and cholesterol levels, among other things.
You’re Never Too Old To Get A Physical
There will never come a point in your life where you’re too old to get a physical, and in fact, new elements may be added to your physical as you age. These include prostate exams for men, mammograms for women, and colonoscopies for everyone. These tests, in particular, are looking for the occurrence of certain forms of cancer that tend to appear as patients get older. These represent just a couple of the concerns that can be identified or addressed with a yearly physical.
What Tests Are Part Of A Standard Physical?
The four basic tests that are included with every physical include the following:
- Blood Pressure: A visit with your friendly sphygmomanometer, or blood pressure cuff, is a standard part of every visit. Your physician will be checking to see if you fall in healthy levels, usually with numbers under 120 and over 80 being considered normal.
- Heart Rates: Cardio concerns can be identified by checking your heart rate. Normal resting heart rates are between 60 and 100, though exceptionally healthy patients may see rates under 60.
- Breathing Rate: This test checks to see how many breaths you take in a minute. If you are taking more than 20 breaths a minute while at rest, there may be concerns with your lungs or heart that need addressing.
- Temperature: Body temperatures for healthy patients tend to be around 98.6F, though again, healthy patients may see numbers higher or lower than this.
With 2020 getting off to a fantastic start, it’s time to make sure the year continues as it has begun. Call Dr. Trang D Nguyen at Conroe Family Doctor in Conroe, TX today and get scheduled for a physical to ensure that there are no health issues waiting to ruin your year. Why not make 2020 the year that you make getting a yearly physical part of your usual preventative care routine?
