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 A physical exam is part of your comprehensive, personalized health care plan. Even if you never seem to get sick and are generally healthy, you still need regular physical exams every year. The concern health practitioners have is that most chronic conditions, including high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, develop gradually over time.

The best way to detect such issues is to undergo regular laboratory testing and physical examinations to monitor your health. If your practitioner sees that your blood pressure has gradually been on the rise year after year, for example, they can start teaching you about lifestyle changes you can make now, before serious complications start to form.

In addition, many new jobs or certifications require a physical exam before starting or to maintain a certain license. Your child is also likely going to need a physical before starting a new school or a new sporting activity.

 Your physical exam at Dr. Grant Craig and Associates is tailored to your needs and overall health. In many cases, routine physicals include:

• Body mass index (BMI) analysis
• Blood pressure check
• Respiration and heart rate evaluation
• Blood or urine laboratory testing
• Neurological testing
• Abdominal exam

If you need a specialty physical, like for work or school, your dedicated provider may need to perform additional requested testing.

While not required, taking a few extra steps before your physical exam can help ensure you get a comprehensive checkup. We suggest that you:

• Request medical records from other providers
• Bring in your current medication bottles
• Fill out new patient paperwork ahead of time
• Have your current insurance card and a valid ID

If your child’s school or your employer is requesting the physical, they’ll probably provide you with some paperwork for your provider to complete. Bring all of that paperwork with you to your visit.

Book your physical exam at Dr. Grant Craig and Associates today by calling the clinic directly.

Known as the foundation of your health, well-woman exams are essential for early detection of diseases and to ensure you’re in good overall health. Even though your well-woman exam is personalized to your needs and current health concerns, in most cases, it’s common for a well-woman exam to include:

• Pap smear
• Health history analysis
• Pelvic and breast exam
• Height and weight evaluation
• Birth control counseling or administering
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing

Your well-woman exam is also your one-on-one time with your dedicated practitioner. This is your chance to discuss your personal and family medical history, as well as any health changes or symptoms you’ve been experiencing since your last exam. Based on your conversation and physical exam, you might need additional bloodwork or urine laboratory testing.

In most cases, you need a well-woman exam annually. But in some cases, you might need further evaluations or follow-up visits if you have:

• Abnormal Pap test
• Lumps in your breasts
• Discomfort during a pelvic exam
• Family history of gynecological conditions

If you need further care after your well-woman visit, our team can schedule your exams or work with a specialist to ensure you get the care you need.

If possible, it’s best to schedule your well-woman exam during times when you’re not on your menstrual period. Sometimes, being on your period can make Pap smear testing less effective, which could provide you with inaccurate results.

It’s also helpful to bring in medical records from other providers that you’ve seen since your last well-woman exam. For instance, if you needed urgent care treatment for severe menstrual cramping or bleeding, get a copy of those records. Our providers can review your reports and examine you to ensure you’re in good health.

If you know you need blood testing as part of your well-woman exam, you might need to fast beforehand. For example, it’s common to require fasting before blood glucose or cholesterol testing. But the team can let you know if this applies to you when booking your appointment.

Prostate cancer is often symptomless in its early stages, which is why it’s so important to have your male exams, including a prostate check, at the recommended intervals.

In the cases where prostate cancer sufferers do have symptoms, they may experience some or all of the following.

• Bone pain
• Difficulty urinating
• Difficulty emptying your bladder fully
• Increased urge to urinate
• Increased frequency of urination
• Weak urine stream
• Blood in urine

If you notice any of these signs or if you’re due for a male exam, schedule your appointment with Dr. Craig and Associates as soon as possible.

The American Cancer Society recommends that you discuss prostate testing with your health care provider as follows.

• At age 50, if you have average risk for prostate cancer, and if you expect to live 10 years or more
• At age 45, if you’re at risk for prostate cancer due to family history, race, or other factors
• At age 40 is you have a high risk for prostate cancer due to multiple close relatives having it at an early age

During your male exams, your provider will assess your risk factors and recommend current or future screenings where appropriate.

During your male exam, you’ll discuss your medical history, your family history, and your current lifestyle with your care provider. This can help your care provider establish risk factors and potential problems.

A male exam usually consists of a general wellness checkup, which includes evaluation of all your vital signs, your heart function, your lung function, and your reflexes. Your provider may also check your eyes, ears, nose, throat, and other areas.

A prostate check is often part of a male exam. You’ll likely do a prostate-specific antigen blood test, which requires a simple blood draw. Your prostate check may also include a digital rectal exam.

If you don’t have any signs of prostate cancer, your care provider uses your prostate-specific antigen blood test results to determine whether you need future testing yearly or every two years.

Book your appointment with us today.