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Wellness & Prevention Physical Exam Q & A

What is a wellness exam?

A wellness exam involves assessing your whole-body health and wellness. The exam focuses on preventive care helping you avoid serious medical issues by identifying disease early, before they cause symptoms.

Wellness exams can detect many problems, including: 

  • Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • High cholesterol
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Carotid artery disease
  • Some types of cancer   

Early detection can help you avoid stroke, heart attack, and other life-threatening crises. Along with wellness exams for adults, Clinica Latina offers well-child visits and school physicals for children starting from age 3.

 

What can I expect during wellness exams?

Wellness exams include:

Medical history 

Medical history covers your full medical history and current state of health.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle evaluations cover your diet, exercise, stress level, and daily habits. You can also mention any symptoms, like tiredness, that concern you during the lifestyle evaluation.

Body mass index (BMI)

A BMI calculates weight and height to determine whether you’re at a healthy weight. BMIs for children are sex and age-specific to account for changes as they grow.

Comprehensive physical exam

Comprehensive physical exams start with checking all your vital signs. The evaluations include checking your eyes, ears, skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes. 

The exam also includes gently palpating your thyroid gland, joints, liver, lymph nodes, and other areas to check for swelling or other issues.

An assessment of your reflexes, balance, muscle movement, and physical function (walking, sitting, rising from sitting, and more) is also included. You’ll have basic hearing and vision tests too. 

Cognitive function is another area assessed. It evaluates your brain’s ability to process and respond to information inputs. Mental health is important to whole-body wellness, so your exam includes an assessment to check for issues like depression and anxiety.

Testing 

Blood tests check your cholesterol, blood sugar, and other important metrics. They also identify problems like nutrient deficiencies, infections, and early signs of disease.

Testing may include diagnostic imaging like X-rays or ultrasounds. You could need cancer screenings, for example, Pap smears during women’s health exams. 

After your exam is over and your test results are ready, Clinica Latina can explain potential issues or diagnose diseases. Then, they help you make necessary changes or start treatment. 

 

How often do I need wellness exams?

Clinica Latina recommends yearly wellness exams for children and adults. 

Call Clinica Latina or book your exam online now.