It’s common to feel anxious before your annual physicals, but it’s crucial to push through the anxiety and establish a rapport with your primary care physician. Your doctor can send you for testing or specialists, manage chronic diseases, and assist in preventing disease. You should not fear the checkup but rather build a healthy relationship by working with medical professionals.
What are Annual Physicals?
Medical professionals assess your general health during annual physicals, sometimes called annual wellness checkups.
Annual physicals aid in the management of chronic illnesses as well as the prevention of ill health. Jenny Furlow can offer prescription changes and refills based on what she learns from them. She is also capable of creating customized therapy approaches.
What Happens in Annual Physicals?
The team will begin the annual physical by discussing your current health and lifestyle choices with you. They inquire if you have any worries you’d like to discuss with them. The remainder of your physical makeup:
Vitals Check
Your blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and respiration rate are the following things the team checks in a vitals check.
Visual Exam
After taking your vital signs, the team examines you and looks for any indications that you may have issues with your head, eyes, chest, abdomen, or musculoskeletal system. Additionally, they search for any indications of problems with nervous system operations like walking and speaking.
Physical Exam
They then conduct a physical examination. The team examines your ears, nose, and eyes while listening to your heart during the physical examination.
They also feel various regions of your body for anomalies and evaluate the health of your skin, hair, and nails. Finally, they assess your motor skills and reflexes.
Lab Tests
The team runs any suggested lab tests after your physical examination, such as a lipid panel, if you’re at risk for heart disease. Whether they visit you at home or the workplace, Health and Wellness Medical Services can perform lab testing there.
Results and Recommendations
The team provides suggestions for lifestyle modifications after your yearly physical, writes any new prescriptions or refills, and, if necessary, creates a tailored treatment plan for you.
How to Avoid Being Scared of Annual Physicals
If you are one to get scared of annual physical checkup results, the following steps will help you.
Take Comfort in Recognizing that Your Fear is Normal
Waiting for annual health examination results is significantly stressful for many people. Take solace in knowing that your feelings are common and understandable, whether you’re concerned, worried, or anxious. In many cases, trying to suppress or explain away a sensation might make us feel worse than the real emotion.
Don’t Assume the Worst
It’s simple to presume that your results will have the worst possible outcomes. Contrary to popular belief, doctors frequently request an exam to rule out improbable diseases or conditions or out of an excess of caution. Keep in mind that getting a physical every year does not necessarily indicate that you have a health issue.
Be in Control of the Situation When Possible
It’s simple to feel helpless when awaiting the outcomes of medical tests. You might experience anxiety due to your lack of control or authority. However, you can take action to gain more power over the situation.
Take notes throughout your appointment with your doctor to assist you in recalling the details. Getting as many details as possible during the exam will help you determine its general result.
Avoid Self-Diagnosis Through the Internet
There is a wealth of information on the internet regarding ailments, disorders, and exam outcomes—none of which may apply to you. Furthermore, a lot of the material you find might be inaccurate or deceptive. The information on most websites might not be accurate.
While waiting for results, viewing internet information about illnesses or symptoms may cause unnecessary tension and worry. We always advise seeing your doctor before looking up anything online. You, your body, and your medical history are only known to your doctor.
Come Prepared
Bring along any pertinent medical information, such as:
- Your medical and mental health history, both personally and in your family
- The drugs you take and why you take them
- Specifics of prior operations
- Allergies
The medical practitioner will undoubtedly bring up these data.
Be Honest with Yourself
Take an accurate, thorough inventory of your lifestyle in advance, taking into account the following:
- Are you a smoker? What percentage and for how long?
- What number of alcoholic beverages do you drink each day?
- Do you regularly work out?
- Which foods do you typically eat?
- What are your sexual habits and experiences?
- What sort of tasks do you perform at work?
Although the questions may seem intrusive and intimate, the answers are for your care. The doctor wants to deliver the best possible healthcare. Consider it merely an interview about you so medical professionals can offer the most specialized service.
Know the Benefits of Getting Annual Physical Checkups
They can identify “silent killers” like diabetes or heart disease and set you up for maintenance and treatment. They assist in the early detection of problems, the management of general care with experts and testing, and the treatment of sudden illness or injury.
You take control of your health by developing a relationship with a provider and scheduling routine checkups. You are less prone to developing chronic diseases as you learn about your health earlier. An annual physical examination might assist find strategies to prevent chronic illnesses from getting worse if you have them.
Need Annual Physicals? Schedule One with Health and Wellness Medical Services
Physical examinations are not supposed to be frightening; they are a crucial component of preventative healthcare and medicine. Your chances of living a healthy life will be improved by knowing what to watch out for and discovering what you can do better. Pursuing good health is ultimately a constant, and your diligence will be rewarded.
Make an appointment for your annual physicals with the compassionate staff at Health and Wellness Medical Services now. Call 434-933-3318 or use the online booking option to get in touch with the office right away.
