Is a Physical Preventative Care? - Preventative Diagnostic Center

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that it is crucial to take care of our health. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to see your doctor regularly to test for any signs of disease and make sure you are in good health. Preventative care, in particular, is crucial to treating potential illnesses before they come on, which helps you live a longer, healthier life.

But what is preventative care? Is that the same as your annual physical exam, or is that a health screening?

Let’s take a look at the difference between a physical exam and a health screening – and why it’s important to schedule a health screening with your doctor today.

At Preventative Diagnostic Center, your health is our heart. Contact us today to see how we can help you live your healthiest life.

What is a physical exam?

According to the National Cancer Institute, a physical exam, also called a wellness check, is a visit to your doctor to see if you have any signs of an illness. These medical exams can include information on your medical and family history as a patient to see the likelihood of developing a disease. For example, if you have a parent with diabetes, your doctor may check your blood sugar levels since diabetes can be genetic.

Physical exams usually occur once a year. During a physical, a doctor may perform the following:

Measure your weight and height to see if it’s in the normal range
Check your blood pressure, heart rate, and other vitals
Test your vision for signs of blindness or visual impairment
Check for signs or symptoms of diseases
Make sure you’re up to date on your vaccinations
Review the list of medications you’re taking and refill your prescriptions
Discuss any health concerns you may have – this usually takes place at the end of the exam

What is a health screening?

A health screening is a visit with your doctor when they specifically check to see if you’re experiencing any symptoms or have risks for developing certain illnesses. For example, your doctor may give you a pap smear to see if you have any signs of cancer.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), health screenings can also involve tests on groups of people who are more likely to contract certain illnesses. For example, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) reports that Black Americans are more likely to have sickle cell disease than other races, so a doctor may run tests for this population during a screening for sickle cell disease.

Physical exam vs. health screening

You may have noticed that both physical exams and health screenings are forms of preventive care. They both involve a doctor checking to see if you have any signs of an illness. So what’s the difference between the two?

Physical exams are general wellness check-ins and do not test extensively for specific conditions. In many cases, these appointments serve as check-ins to discuss any health concerns you may have as a patient, refill existing medication prescriptions, and receive an annual vaccine.

A health screening is a more extensive examination where a doctor focuses specifically on any signs of illness. Health screenings delve deeper into your medical history and potential risk factors you may have for developing conditions. As mentioned earlier, certain populations, such as ethnic and racial groups, are more likely to develop certain diseases than others. During a screening, your doctor will test for these things and more to ensure extra preventive measures are in place, as well as offer recommended treatment plans and referrals as needed.

It is important to schedule a preventive health screening in addition to your annual physical exams. These screenings allow your doctor to check for illnesses in the early stages before they become serious health issues. This is especially important after the pandemic. According to the Central for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many people infected with the COVID-19 virus experience post-COVID symptoms, also known as long COVID. People with long-COVID may experience the same or worsening symptoms they had when they were first infected with COVID-19.

There are many illnesses like COVID that experts are still learning about, including how severe and long-lasting symptoms are, so it’s vital to screen and treat illnesses as soon as possible.

Schedule a Preventative CT Scan Today

A preventative CT Scan can help you understand your risk for developing chronic conditions before you experience symptoms, enabling you and your doctor to take action to potentially prevent life-changing diseases. The Preventative Diagnostic Center offers medically accurate, non-invasive CT Scans that identify risk factors that can lead to cardiovascular disease, stroke, artery disease, osteoporosis, and other serious illnesses.