There is an old saying pertinent to many areas of your life, including your health: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It’s true. The more you know about what is happening with your health, the better your chances are of staving off serious diseases. In this blog, we will delve into the importance of routine check-ups and lab testing.
What Happens in a Routine Health Check-up
The iconic annual physical really is the mainstay of preventive medical care. This head to toe, in-office assessment, along with routine lab tests, yields a wealth of information about your current health status and what chronic disease risks exist or could be headed your way.
During your check-up, your healthcare provider will assess:
- Your vital signs–heart rate, blood pressure, respirations and temperature
- Height and weight
- Body mass index, or BMI
- Ears, nose and throat
- Reflexes
- Abdominal area
- Lower extremities
- Muscular strength and coordination
- Flexibility
- Hair, skin and nails
Most of today’s annual physical exams also include a brief mental health screening for depression, and for those 65 and older, a cognitive health test. You may have basic hearing and vision screenings as well.
Additionally, you will discuss with your provider any new health problems or changes in existing conditions since your last check-up. You will go over your family history as it plays an important role in health conditions you may develop over time. You’ll review your medications to ensure you are taking the correct dosages and have needed refills.
Your healthcare provider will administer any needed vaccinations, such as the flu and shingles vaccines. Vaccines are one of the best ways to avoid getting sick with communicable diseases and to prevent the many complications they can cause to individuals and to the community at large.
Benefits of Routine Health Check-ups and Preventive Lab Testing
Your check-up provides time and opportunity for you to ask your doctor questions about any problems you may be having and about
cancer screenings, such as mammography, colonoscopy and more. Cancer screenings may reveal malignancies long before a patient is symptomatic. This early detection makes cancer treatment easier and usually more effective.
It is also the time to review lab work–screenings you have had done for thyroid disease, high cholesterol and diabetes. These tests involve a simple blood draw and urinalysis and are processed right in our onsite lab at Cornerstone Urgent Care Center.
In short, your check-up and preventive lab testing are anything but routine. They are opportunities to:
- Discuss and plan treatments as needed with your provider
- Ask questions and receive education on important health topics, such as smoking cessation
- Understand your health needs and long-term risks
Your check-up is the time to develop strategies for long-term wellness. Your provider may advise a routine exercise routine, a weight management program or ways to reduce stress and anxiety. You and your doctor can work together to develop an effective health maintenance plan based on the results of your routine health check-up and preventive lab testing.
Remember, you don’t just see your healthcare provider when you are acutely ill. You want to partner with him or her in achieving and keeping your best possible health for a lifetime.
Learn More About Routine Check-ups and Lab Testing in Rochester, NY
At Cornerstone Urgent Care Center, we offer annual physical examinations for patients of all ages on a walk-in basis. Bloodwork and urinalysis are done right here in our state of the art lab, and results are available to you within 48 hours.
Best of all, our team of physicians and their support staff desire to make your preventive healthcare a priority that is easy to maintain and to access. You don’t have to wait weeks or months for your check-up!
Please call us today at (585) 207-0088 to learn more about our preventive screenings and physicals. In addition, you can use our online check-in form to schedule an appointment, or you can walk right into our clinic – no appointment is needed for you to receive care. We are located at 2958 Chili Avenue in Rochester, NY. We will be honored to be of service.
