Most people associate visiting a doctor with sickness or injury. However, doctors also perform an important role in preventative medicine. One of the tools doctors use is a physical check-up.
Function
The purpose of a physical-check up is for your doctor to examine your body, gather information from you about your activity level and any new symptoms you are experiencing. This helps the doctor spot any problems that may be developing or ensure that you are in good health.
Process
During a check-up, your doctor will listen to your heart, check your blood pressure, feel your glands and your abdomen, and if you are a man, check your prostate. After the physical, your doctor may order routine blood work to check your blood sugar, cholesterol, hormone levels and vitamin and mineral levels.
Benefits
For many diseases like diabetes and cancer, early detection greatly improves prognosis, according to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia. Visiting a doctor regularly before you develop any symptoms is one way to catch diseases and medical conditions early.
Time Frame
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends that healthy adults receive check-ups to monitor blood pressure once every two years and cholesterol once every five years.
Considerations
Children also need physical check-ups to ensure that they are growing at an appropriate pace and receiving all necessary immunizations. Check-ups are common every two to three months during the first two years of life and then every year to three years after, depending on age, according to the State of Illinois Kid's Health Program.
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