What should be done during a yearly check-up/physical?
Question:
I know that a woman needs year Pap smears, but besides that what kind of things should I have done with the doctor yearly?
Answers:
Routine physical examination of adolescents should include screening for height, weight, and sexual maturity; vision test with Snellen chart; complete blood cell count; transferrin saturation rating; dental history and oral examination; assessment for scoliosis (Adam test); blood pressure measurement; thyroid gland examination; psychosocial history; and immunization review (booster dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.
For selected population groups, esp with high risks factors such as genetics; many experts suggested a tuberculin test, sickling test, mean corpuscular volume, urine culture (clean voided specimen), testicular self-examination after age 18 years in male patients who had cryptorchidism, cholesterol measurement in children with a positive family history of myocardial infarctions, and pure tone audiometry if there is a positive history or chronic exposure to firearms or loud machinery.
Routine screen for hearing problems, tuberculosis, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency; urinalysis; and breast self-examination instruction. esp with a strong family history for cancer.
In conclusion; healthy adolescents do not need yearly physical examinations. The chance of finding major disease previously unknown is small, and annual examinations are not cost-effective. However, one thorough evaluation should be done in early adolescence. The history is recorded, including the status of immunizations, using a questionnaire. Screening for height, weight, vision, and blood pressure and a physical examination are part of the evaluation.
At entry to high school, start of an athletic program, and before college, a new questionnaire is filled out, and screening tests plus inspection for scoliosis are repeated. This screening can be done in a physician's office or at school by using the station approach.
Instruction about breast self-examinations, hearing tests, dental examinations, and laboratory tests might be necessary. If there are any questionable findings or the student has symptoms of illness, referral to the appropriate physician should be arranged.
Special risk groups, such as sexually active adolescents or students with known substance abuse, need to be examined more often. Sudden cardiac death in adolescents during sports events cannot be prevented by the current methods of preathletic examinations.
A yearly examination of adolescents would allow the physician to discuss such matters as diet, sex, drugs, and smoking. The time allotted for such examinations is usually short, however, and would not permit sufficient coverage of these complex issues.
Health education should be a part of the school curriculum or offered in group meetings arranged in medical facilities for adolescents.. An efficient method to handle emotional problems would be to train teachers and school nurses to be sensitive to the child with emotional and learning, as well as physical problems, and refer them to appropriate care.
Emotional problems probably are better recognized by parents, teachers, and counselors, leading to proper referral.
Have your blood levels done.Blood pressure check.Sugar levels done.There is so many things you can have checked if need be.
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