What is a physical exam and what can you expect?
- health care consumers should know its essential elements. A thorough physical examination covers head to toe and usually lasts about 30 minutes. It measures important vital signs -- temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate -- and evaluates your body using observation, palpitation, percussion, and auscultation.
What tests are included in a physical exam?
- Weight control: identify your body fat percentage,lean mass,and both a short term and long term optimal weight goal
- Food and nutrient intake: Do you meet your key nutrients needs,and if not what foods and/or supplements could you take to achieve proper nutrient intake
- Fitness: Assess your strength,flexibility,and aerobic performance.
What to expect during your routine physical exam?
- height and weight measurements
- nose,mouth,throat,and ear examination with a torch or scope
- feeling for the pulse in the person’s neck,groin,or feet
- checking the body’s reflexes
- listening to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope
- measuring blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer
- feeling the lymph nodes in the neck,underarms,or groin
What are the steps in the physical exam?
- Inspection. Your examiner will look at,or "inspect" specific areas of your body for normal color,shape and consistency.
- Palpation.
- Percussion.
- Auscultation.
- The Neurologic Examination:
What is a physical examination? A physical examination is a routine test your primary care provider (PCP) performs to check your overall health. A PCP may be a doctor, a nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant. The exam is also known as a wellness check.