No one likes to go to the doctor. Many consider a regular physical to be nothing more than an inconvenience to a busy schedule.
However, you shouldn’t neglect your checkups.
Why You Need a Physical
Annual, semi-annual or more frequent checkups are important to ensuring your ongoing health. If you have a known medical condition, checkups help your doctor track the problem.
Even if you don’t have any known conditions, this doesn’t mean you should neglect your physical. Your checkups can help your doctor pick up on any small changes to your body. These small problems might develop into big problems down the road. The doctor can then address these problems, or refer you to a specialist before they get worse.
What do doctors check in a physical?
Think of your physical like your regular engine maintenance on your car. Your mechanic might lift up the hood, change filters, and check the oil.
Your body is like your vehicle. You need to have a professional check it out regularly. During a physical, your doctor is essentially taking a hard look at your body to look for signs of trouble.
During your checkup, your doctor might do the following checks:
Physical Check: The doctor will check your limbs, head, neck, eyes, throat and other parts of your body. He or she will likely look for any irregularities. These can be things like inflammation, discoloration or abnormal growths or changes.
Vital Signs: The doctor will check your heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, circulation, temperature and other signs. Vital signs indicate normal internal functions.
Lab Tests: Lab tests like blood and urine samples are critical to picking up on problems that may not be visible in other parts of your exam. They can even tell you if you face risks for other diseases like strokes, diabetes or heart attacks. Also, lab tests can detect the amount of medication in your system. This is important if you take regular medication. If the level is not correct, the doctor can change it and help you get optimal health results.
Medical History: The doctor may ask what medications you take, whether you drink or smoke, or if you are sexually active. Don’t worry. These questions help the doctor get a picture of you. He or she will know what to look and listen for when examining you.
Are Physicals Affordable?
The good news is that most major health insurance plans cover regular checkups. They usually cover all the tests that accompany them. You will likely have to pay a small copay when you see the doctor, like you do with most medical treatments.
If your checkup requires special tests or treatments, you may still get a bill from your doctor. Insurance may not cover these tests or only cover them partially. However, be vigilant. Always ask the doctor if all of your tests are covered by insurance.
We are proud to offer you many different types of health insurance options. They can help you get the right coverage for the right treatment. Explore our health insurance offerings on Insurance for Wholeness & Health's website. Or, call us today at 888-737-6848.