When is the best time for you to have a physical exam?

When should you get a physical exam?

The time you should have a physical exam is up to your condition. Age, job, physical conditions, environment are some determining factors.

The adults over 50 years old who are healthy would better have a physical exam every year. People who are younger than 50 should have a test every three months.

Individuals who have a health issue or chronic condition need to consult with a health expert or doctor for the timing of the best time for a physical exam or its frequency. It might be necessary that they have a physical exam more frequently than others as deemed fit by the experts.

There are other items that influence a physical exam that could also be considered as benefits:

• Monitoring for potential disease
• Evaluate possible risks for future medical problems
• Encourage a healthy lifestyle
• Receive updates for vaccination
• Keep a relationship with our health expert

 

Post offer physical exam

When you apply for a new job or have an interview, the employer might require a post-offer physical exam which is an evaluation of whether you can perform the duties or not.

 

Pre-employment physical

A pre-employment physical exam or test is the one that evaluates whether a candidate is fit for employment or not. The physical and mental conditions of the applicants are evaluated for the job. The items that are checked in pre-employment could vary by the employer’s demand and the job but a few samples are as follows:

• Eye check
• Checking medical background
• Urine and blood tests
• TB test
• COVID-19 test
• Vaccination certificate and background
• Titers
• Respiratory test
• Height and weight
• Blood pressure

 

The post-offer is different than the pre-employment exam and is required to be done when the employee is hired. It is to evaluate whether the potential employee can perform the particular duties of the job or not, while a pre-employment test evaluates the candidate’s general health.

In each of the cases, the two exams evaluate the health condition and reveal if there is a health issue or not. They are good ways to know the hidden health threats and give timing to take the necessary steps.

 

How often should adults get a physical exam?

The frequency you should have check-ups or physical exams is based on your:

• Age
• Risk factors
• Current health status
• Job
• Exercise routine
• Level of physical activity
• Health background
• Family background
• The area you live

 

The opinion on the frequency of a physical exam is different, but people say you would have them regularly to ensure no serious health condition would threaten you. The adults over 50 years old who are healthy would better have a physical exam every year. People who are younger than 50 should have a test every three months.

 

Why should you get a physical exam?

If you are doing well and your health condition seems to be fine, the following reasons could convince you that you need a physical exam:

 

Get the opportunity to discuss health concerns

You and I tend to Google symptoms or pains, but is it effective? If everyone could find his/her health problem through reading an article, why do we still get sick and why there are some people working and receiving a pretty good payment as doctors?

You might enhance your knowledge by searching, but it might not be as effective as visiting a health expert. For example, you could misunderstand your serious health condition with the simple flu or cold. While you need to visit the hospital, you are going in the wrong direction.

Also, a simple allergy could be misunderstood as a complicated issue and makes you worried.

Instead of all the trouble and wasting time and effort, talk to your doctor or a health expert and get professional advice.

The physical exam could provide that opportunity to evaluate everything. The exam provides data-backed and factual answers.

 

A perfect time to update your vaccines

The experience with COVID-19 reminded us of the importance and effectiveness of vaccines. Now you are considering not only your health but also the people around you as vaccination could increase their safety.

Are you sure you have received all the required vaccines or dosages? You might be behind on your vaccination and not be aware of it.

The physical exam is a great way to know everything about vaccination and what you have to do about it.

The health expert can schedule the required vaccination and provide whatever details are needed; knowledge is power.

 

Set and reach annual health goals

The exam can tell you what physical or health goals you need to set in the following year. If you are overweight for 8 pounds, you know that you have to lose weight.

In case the exam finds out that your lungs are not working properly and the smoking is causing serious damage, you become determined to stop or reduce it.

You might have been enjoying fast food and an unhealthy diet for a while, but when facing the high cholesterol level, and when the doctor warns you of the consequences, your diet for the rest of the year becomes clear. It is the target you should reach it or otherwise, there could be heavy consequences.

 

Prevention is better than cure by physical exams

The reports indicate that about half (46%) of cancer parents got a diagnosis of their condition when the situation reached a mature stage. What was the condition of that group if they had noticed it earlier and had talked to an expert in time?

A physical exam can protect you from:

• heart disease
• cancers
• high blood pressure

A physical exam can help your health expert to find a health condition before it gets worse or aid treatment.

 

Build a doctor-patient relationship

One of your friends or relatives is afraid to visit a doctor. He/she is not alone, and there are others who have a phobia doing so.

Going on with the condition is not helping and makes the situation worse. You need to do something about it.

Scheduling your physical and asking a friend to accompany you. You could also know your physician more and learn from him/her. It will help in later visits to get the best of your meeting and physical.

 

What should you expect during a physical exam?

During a physical exam, you could expect the health expert or physician to check the following items to see if there is anything wrong with them or not:

• Body temperature
• Blood pressure
• Eyes, ears, and throat
• Heart rate
• Heart and long
• Respiration rate

 

Vaccination updates

The date for vaccinations will be checked, and the health expert might recommend new ones or booster doses.

 

Medication

The medicine you are taking now will be analyzed, and if you need a new one, reduce or stop one of them, the doctor will inform you. The physician will check that the supplements or prescriptions do not interact negatively together.

 

Reducing the risk of disease

By your conditions, your doctor will give recommendations or prescriptions to reduce the risk of disease, such as:

• quitting smoking,
• losing weight, or
• following a particular diet.

They are all to reduce the risk factors.

 

Furtehr tetss and screens

If the doctor deems fit, he/she will require further tests to ensure everything is fine with your health:

• Blood test
• Colonoscopy
• Bone density
• Cholesterol test
• Urinalysis
• Chemistry panel

 

There are a few items checked particularly for men and women:

Men

• Testicular exam
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening
• Prostate exam
• Cholesterol test

Women

• Breast exam
• Mammogram
• Cholesterol test
• Pelvic exam

 

How to be prepared for your physical exam?

There is no particular preparation for the physical exam, and you do not have to worry, but the following tips can be helpful to a large extent:

• Bring a full list of the medicine you take: prescribed, supplements, etc.,
• Prepare a list of the pain or symptoms you have had recently
• Bring the results of the test or screens you have had lately.
• A copy of surgical and medical history would help.
• Provide contact details of the doctors or health experts you have visited recently.
• Prepare all the questions you have had recently.
• Wear comfortable clothes and avoid accessories or jewelry
• Bring a full list of the vaccinations you have received.

 

The last word

A physical exam is helpful to prevent severe health issues and improve your health conditions. Knowledge is power is true with the concept of the physical exam.

Now that you have made up your mind to take a physical test, Southern Nevada Occupational Health Center provides it to you in Las Vegas. SNOHC has provided the best occupational health services to residents for +20 years now. We provide a wide range of vaccinations, tests, and screens to residents.

Give us a call at (702) 874-4769 to reserve your tets and find out more information.