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About Annual Physicals
You may think of an annual physical as little more than a quick checkup, but these routine exams are the key to staying healthy throughout your lifetime. When you get an annual physical, the experienced team at Rural Health Corporation of Northeastern Pennsylvania can help you prevent health problems that interfere with a long and active life. They have 12 offices in Nuremberg, Sullivan Trail Falls, Freeland, Hazleton, Monroe Township, Wilkes-Barre, Shickshinny, and Edwardsville, Pennsylvania. To schedule an appointment, book online or call the nearest office today.
"Every staff member in this clinic, from the receptionist to the doctor, are always so genuinely friendly, caring, and helpful..."
"They truly care about their patients and what they do."
"Everyone working there is always pleasant and courteous and make you feel at ease."
Annual Physicals Q & A
Who should schedule annual physicals?
Everyone should get an annual physical. Infants and toddlers need more frequent well-child visits until the age of 3. Children over three years old, teens, and adults need yearly checkups throughout their lifetime.
Your annual physical serves as a wellness exam that focuses on preventive health care, so you should schedule a checkup even when you feel fine.
What happens during an annual physical?
Your annual physical begins with updating your medical history and describing any current problems; your provider also takes your weight, blood pressure, and heart rate.
Your provider completes a thorough physical exam and talks with you about any potential issues they find. They may also run blood tests and perform a urinalysis.
Depending on your unique health needs, you might receive other services during your annual physical, including:
- Pediatric care
- Adolescent medicine
- Women's health care
- Men's health care
- Immunizations
- Health risk assessments
- Family planning and birth control
- Screening for chronic diseases
- Mental health assessments
- Cognitive assessments
- Nutrition and weight loss counseling
- Medication management
Identifying and treating chronic disease represents one of the most vital parts of annual physicals in adults.
Chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, develop gradually over many years. They don't cause symptoms alerting you to a possible problem during that time.
During your annual physical, your provider can detect early signs of chronic disease long before you have symptoms. Then they create a treatment plan that helps you prevent or stop the disease from getting worse.
Do annual physicals include health screenings?
A health screening is a diagnostic test that reveals early signs of health problems. Your provider determines the type of screening you may need based on your overall health and age.
Rural Health Corporation of Northeastern Pennsylvania takes care of many health screenings during your annual physical, including tests for:
- Vision
- Hearing
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Skin cancer
- Heart disease (electrocardiogram and Holter monitor)
- Cervical cancer (Pap test)
- Breast cancer (manual exam)
- Prostate cancer (manual exam and PSA test)
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
Your provider also helps you schedule health screenings such as a mammogram (for breast cancer), a colonoscopy (for colon cancer), and a bone density test (for osteoporosis).
To schedule your annual physical, call Rural Health Corporation of Northeastern Pennsylvania or book an appointment online today.