Everyone with half a brain knows how important it is to visit their doctor every year. We all need a yearly medical exam to make sure our bodies are still in good working health. By getting a physical examination each year, your primary care physician can look you over from head to toe, run blood work, and make sure your body is in excellent physical condition. Otherwise you’ll learn about potential problem areas that need medication, surgery, or other treatments.
It’s quite possible to visit your doctor for a yearly medical exam, and while you are there, he or she might make an important discovery. As an example, let’s say you’ve developed hearing difficulties over the past year. This latest problem could exist for any number of reasons including a clogged ear canal, damage to your eardrum, or another reason. Visiting a hearing test center in Southern Maine or one in your community based on the recommendation of your GP is definitely a good idea and it will help determine the cause of your hearing loss.
The medical field is improving at a rapid pace and things are getting better and better all the time. Remote patient monitoring is one exciting innovation along with additional technology-related advances currently improving the healthcare landscape by leaps and bounds.
Are you wondering what else you can expect during your yearly medical exam? Stick around to discover the truth.
Yearly Medical Examination Basic Expectations
Are you getting a yearly medical exam for the first time? This may seem scary and overwhelming at first but it really is a piece of cake. To help put your mind at ease, we’d like to share vital information about the basics that you can expect.
For starters, when you first meet with your doctor he or she will ask you about your previous medical history. After they learn a little bit about you and some of the physical challenges that you’ve faced throughout your life, they will then ask you if you have any specific complaints. If you have any complaints, now is the time to let your doctor know about them.
Lifestyle factors also play a role in the best way for your doctor to provide care. If you like to eat and drink excessively, avoid exercising at all costs, smoke cigarettes like they are going out of style, and participate in other unhealthy habits, your doctor needs to know about them so they can keep these issues in mind.
Next, the doctor is going to look over your vital signs. Your doctor will check your blood pressure and determine if it’s 120/80 or lower. If it’s on the high side, you may receive a prescription for blood pressure medication.
Your doctor will then check your heartbeat. The average heart beats between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Anything outside of that and you are no longer in the normal range.
Next, your doctor will take your temperature. It varies, but typically the average temperature is 98.6° although resting temperature can be slightly higher or lower. Your respiratory rate will also get checked and the average person takes 12 to 16 breaths each minute so hopefully you fall within that range.
At the end of the day, the doctor will check basic vitals and other areas to determine your health. You also might be required to make personal and dietary changes to flourish through healthy living.
Final Thoughts about Yearly Medical Exams
Clearly, your general practitioner will perform a wide array of tests each year to make sure you are maintaining good health. Men may also receive additional examinations like a hernia exam, a penis or testicular exam, or a prostate exam. Women will often receive a breast exam or a pelvic exam at this time. Just know that these additional tests are necessary and helpful for sustaining excellent physical health.
