Annual Physical

Annual physicals are recommended to check in with your physician and assess your general health status.  It is also a great opportunity to discuss any symptoms that have been bothering you with a health professional.

A typical annual physical (or well-patient examination) will cover your past medical history, family history, and social history.  You will have your vitals checked, which includes, blood pressure, weight, height, temperature, respiration rate and cardiac pulse rate.  The examination will also generally cover heart and lung exam, head and neck, dermatological assessment, neurological, spinal and extremity assessment.  Men may also receive a hernia, penile, testicular and/or prostate examination.  Women may receive a breast and/or pelvic examination (Pap Smear).

Laboratory testing may also be ordered.  Typically there will be an assessment of a patient’s CBC (complete blood count), a chemistry panel, and other lab values if warranted.  Lipid panels are generally only ordered every 5 years if there is no family history of cardiovascular disease or if the patient’s prior lipid panel was within normal parameters.