2. A physical is intended to keep patients informed
of their ongoing medical status and to prevent,
preempt, and treat any diseases or conditions that
may potentially develop over time. Depending on
the doctor and general health of the patient, a
routine physical may be brief or extended. A lot of
the time spent during a physical is used for
doctors to address questions and concerns
brought up by the patient. A routine exam typically
consists of several physical checks to look for the
appearance of injury or disease.
3. A patient’s vital signs are collected to check for
abnormalities in blood pressure, heart rate,
respiration rate, and body temperature. Doctors
also spend time simply observing the patient to
check on a patient’s mental faculties, condition of
the skin, gait and balance, and other useful visual
information. Heart and lung examinations are
another important aspect of determining a
patient’s health and the potential for developing
future medical issues.
4. The doctor uses a stethoscope to listen for
abnormalities, such as heart murmurs, an
irregular heartbeat, or other signs of heart
disease. The doctor also listens to the sounds of
the lungs, checking for sounds such as crackles,
wheezes, and breathing abnormalities. The doctor
additionally examines the condition of the
patient’s teeth, eyes, ears, lymph nodes, thyroid,
tonsils, and throat.
5. The final major systems requiring examination are
the abdomen and neurological functioning. The
doctor may tap on the abdomen to feel for
changes in size or rigidity of internal organs or the
collection of abdominal fluids, as well as listen to
the functioning of the bowels. Neurologically, the
doctor observes muscle strength, balance,
reflexes, and nerve function.
6. About the Office: General Internal Medicine Group
is a patient-centered medical center offering
services such as specialty medical care, extended
appointment hours and a walk-in option, a
dedicated lab-results phone line, and an on-call
physician available 24 hours per day, seven days
per week.
7. About the Office: General Internal Medicine Group
is a patient-centered medical center offering
services such as specialty medical care, extended
appointment hours and a walk-in option, a
dedicated lab-results phone line, and an on-call
physician available 24 hours per day, seven days
per week.