What happens during an adult physical?
Asked by
vinw09 (
12
)
January 16th, 2011
I know the obvious things such as: the doctor will check your vitals (heart rate, lungs/breathing, blood pressure, and ears/nose), ask you if you have any new health problems/issues, ask about your medications, and he or she conducts a full-body exam. What else happens during an adult physical exam, or is this about it? Also, I know all doctors by law are not allowed to disclose any kind of privileged patient information to ANYONE, but what if when they ask you if you drink or do drugs, you say yes but you’re not 21? Can they report you to somebody for breaking the law? Or is this also covered in the patient privacy laws?
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5 Answers
questions about drugs and alcohol are legally privileged, because the doctor needs to know to treat you properly. But don’t write it on a form; more than the law you need to be careful of insurance companies. They have access to ALL medical records.
When you’re older, you’ll also get an EKG, and men get a digital prostate exam (finger up the butt) from the age of 25 or 30 or so. And the Doctor’ll probably send you to a lab to draw blood for various blood tests.
Your doctor will not report you for drug or alcohol use. But, if you feel better not writing it down don’t. If you tell him, he will right it down. The thing that info can be important if you have a health problem or emergency.
I am not sure how old you are? 14 is very different from 19. And, the tests run depends on the doctor and the reason for the physical. Hopefully some basic bloodwork like lipids and a CBC will be done, maybe even B12 and some are checking vitamin D more and more, unless you are noticibly tan. Also, likely a urinalysis of some type, so be ready to pee. If your wait is long at the office and you gotta go, as the front desk if they will need a urine sample, so you don’t have to be uncomfortable holding it, they will let you pee in the cup before taking you in to be evaluated.
The doctor will listen to your heart and breathing, which is different than heart rate, which is taken by pulse (or a digital blood pressure cuff will calculate it) or watching you breath is how breaths are counted.
He might feel your lymph nodes in your neck, ask you to swallow while he watches your neck, and ask you basic questions (the questions more likely will be on your initial paperwork youfill out) like losing or gaining a lot of weight recently, trouble sleeping, more tired than usual. And, health questions related to your family, like if there is heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure in your family.
You should tell your doctor everything. S/he won’t tell anybody.
LOL the dreaded prostate exam.
“You’re just gonna feel a little pressure…”
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