PHYSICAL & OTHER PREVENTIVE MEDICINE EXAMS
What type of exam might I receive from the doctors at the Northwest Center for Optimal Health?
Part of preventive medicine and staying healthy is conducting a proper physical exam yearly. Our doctors are very conscientious about offering this to our patients, and making sure it is done thoroughly taking into account family history, risk factors, lifestyle, daily practices, and environmental factors. It is important for patients of all ages to receive a yearly (annual) physical separate from any visits focused around addressing problems.
An annual physical exam includes a head to toe examination of each body system with extra attention to any areas of concern that the you might have. In addition to an annual physical, our patients also receives tests to screen for infection, anemia, blood cancers, cholesterol, blood sugar, urine screening, thyroid testing, as well as a stool test. Men receive prostate cancer screening, and women a breast and pap exam when indicated. If you choose one of our doctors for primary care, tests and an exam are always included in your health plan and are very important for preventative health maintenance.
What kind of patients should receive an annual physical?
All patients need a yearly physical! We have doctors who see patients of all ages at the Northwest Center, from newborns to seniors. We have doctors who focus on Naturopathic Pediatrics, and doctors who focus on Adult Care.
What are the other types of routine exams that might be performed at the Northwest Center during my visit?
The other kinds of exams could include:
Heart: Listening for any abnormal beats, murmurs, the strength of your arterial pulses, any signs of heart failure, or the need to potentially see a specialist for further heart imaging.
Lung: Listening for any wheezing, signs of consolidation, performing a breathing test for a restriction of lung capacity, screening for asthma.
Abdominal: Assessing the abdomen for any signs of acute serious pain, differentiating between different gastrointestinal symptoms, feeling for liver or spleen enlargement, differentiating between pelvic and intestinal pain.
HEENT (Head, eyes, ear, nose, throat): Looking and feeling for tenderness, inflammation, congestion, sinus pain, potential thyroid enlargement or swollen lymph nodes.
Neurological: Checking reflexes, muscle strength, balance, coordination to look for any neurological symptoms of disease.
Musculoskeletal: Performing active, passive and resisted range of motion as well as feeling for hyper tonicity of muscles, restriction in spinal vertebrae, and assessing joint pain.
Genitourinary: Performing a urine screening or vaginal swab to look for infections, as well as a manual exam to feel for any abnormal masses or enlargement.
How do I know if I need a physical exam?
Every person should have an annual head to toe hands on physical exam, and targeted exams if you are having symptoms or problems.
How can I have a proper physical? You can call our office today to schedule an appointment to establish care and select one of our doctors to be your primary doctor. To schedule an appointment, call: 360-651-9355.
