An annual physical exam, or check-up, is essential to a healthy lifestyle. What this exam looks like can look different for everybody, and can depend on your age, sex, lifestyle and family history. However, there are a few constant screenings in every check-up. Read more about these common tests with CheckPoint Urgent Care.
Common Screenings Performed During a Healthcare Check-Up
The physical exam is usually an annual appointment with your primary care provider. The overall goal of the appointment is to see how your body is performing. This means the doctor may ask you some questions and perform a few other tests. Depending on your personal history, as well as your family history, the doctor may choose to focus on certain areas. At every checkup, you can expect the doctor to check your vitals, weight, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Vital Sign Checks
It is common practice at an annual checkup to have your vital signs taken. The results can help tell a story about what is going on inside your body. Additionally, it’s also a good practice because it can help establish a record, or health history. These are a few vital signs that your doctor will check and record the results of:
- Blood pressure: less than 120 over less than 80 is a normal blood pressure. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is defined as 130 over 80 or higher.
- Heart Rate: a heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute is considered normal.
- Respiratory Rate: 12 to 16 breaths per minute is considered normal for an average adult. Twenty or more breaths per minute may be an indication of heart or lung issues.
- Temperature: 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit is the average, but a temperature higher or lower could still indicate a healthy person.
Visual Exam
Your physical appearance can tell your doctor a lot about your physical health. Just by looking at you, your doctor can tell a lot of information about your health:
- Does your skin appear healthy? Is it heavily bruised, dry, discolored or covered in lesions?
- Are your eyes yellowed?
- How are your memory and mental quickness?
- Can you easily stand and walk?
Based on the visual exam, combined with your vitals, your doctor may ask some specific questions, perform certain screenings or order additional tests.
Common Laboratory Tests
While laboratory tests aren’t required in an annual physical, your doctor may require some additional tests based on the visual exam or based on your vitals. Common tests include:
- A complete blood count (CBC): This test determines if there are any increases or decreases in your blood cell counts. A CBC can help diagnose a wide array of diseases, from anemia to certain kinds of cancer.
- A complete metabolic panel: this is often called a chemistry panel. This tests your blood plasma and can indicate issues in your kidneys, liver, bloodstream, and immune system.
Male vs. Female Physical Exam Differences
Your biological sex can determine what additional screenings your doctor may provide. For women, your checkup could include a mammogram, a breast exam, a pap smear, a pelvic exam, a cholesterol test, and an osteoporosis screening. For men, your checkup could include a testicular exam, a prostate exam, and an abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.
There are a few additional screenings that are common for both men and women:
- Colon cancer screenings
- Lung cancer screenings
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Hepatitis C
- STI screenings
- Vaccinations
Your Next Check Up is at CheckPoint Urgent Care
For any annual checkup, the goal is to emphasize prevention. If something is caught early, certain lifestyle changes and medications may correct the course or prevent diseases. When you need your annual checkup, turn to the doctors at CheckPoint Urgent Care. Find a location near you online.
