HEALTH & WELLNESS CHECKUPS

Most people should have a yearly checkup. If you have health problems and show specific signs or symptoms that would prompt you to seek medical attention.

• Purpose of the periodic health examination
  • As primary prevention
  • To identify risk factors for common chronic diseases
  • To detect disease that has no apparent symptoms (secondary prevention)
  • As a way for the doctor to counsel people to promote healthy behavior
  • To update clinical data since your last checkup
  • To enhance the relationship between you and your doctor

What can you expect at your checkup?

• Clinical history: Updating information on your chart or medical record is important. Some of the items you will likely be asked about include the following:
  • Dates and results of previous preventive procedures (such as prior immunizations, Pap tests, mammograms, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure readings)
  • A complete and updated family history of diseases: This will give your health care professional an idea about which diseases are common in your family.
  • Your past medical history, including a review of all medications you take and previous surgeries
  • Information about your workplace and leisure and living conditions at home
  • Your habits such as recreational drug use, alcohol use, smoking, exercise, sexual practices, and seat belt use
  • Information about your normal body functions such as eating, sleeping, urination, bowel function, vision, and hearing

• The number of physical examinations will vary depending on your gender, age, and information obtained from the clinical history.
• The physical exam is most useful in identifying disease in people who already have symptoms, but it is often of little use as a screening test in people who have no complaints.
• Dr. Shomo has age-specific charts for periodic health screening for the general population, with special interventions for high-risk populations.

Procedures no longer done routinely: Unless there is a specific reason for these tests to be done, however, Dr. Shomo can give you an examination to see if you need testing for the following:

• Hemoglobin
• Blood chemistries
• Urinalysis
• Vision and hearing testing up to 75 years of age
• ECG: Heart tracing
• Screening for ovarian cancer
• Screening for prostate cancer