How to Prepare for Your Yearly Physical

A physical is a comprehensive exam that evaluates whole-body wellness. From weight to blood pressure, various screenings detect changes in your body that could compromise your health.

If you’re feeling healthy, it’s easy to let scheduling your yearly physical slip to the back of your mind — but getting an annual physical is the best way to ensure you’re enjoying optimal health. Make annual exams a habit for the best chances of staying healthy for years to come.

At Healthy Life Family Medicine, John Monroe, MD, and our compassionate team strive to make getting the care you need simple. We offer comprehensive physicals for children, teens, and adults, along with vaccinations and chronic condition management.

If it’s time to schedule your annual exam, get our tips for preparing right here.

Scheduling your yearly physical

We make scheduling your yearly physical convenient. Along with regular office hours, our team offers early morning and evening appointments throughout the week to accommodate even the busiest schedules.

Call us at 623-232-9194 to book an appointment. You can also book online or send us a message to learn more about our services.

When you make your yearly physical appointment, we may recommend blood testing based on your medical history. You might need to fast and avoid beverages besides water for up to eight hours before your appointment, and we’ll give you instructions beforehand. 

If you or your family member is a new patient, you can access our new patient forms online. Bringing completed new patient forms to your appointment can save you time in the waiting room.

Preparing for your yearly physical

Most of the time, there’s nothing special you need to do to prepare for your yearly physical. If you’re having blood work done, be sure to fast and drink only water for a specified period of time before your appointment.

Prepare a list of prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you take regularly. If you’re experiencing any symptoms of acute illness or injury, remember to bring them up at your appointment.

Think about any questions you have about your physical, emotional, and mental health and bring those questions to your appointment.

What to expect at your yearly physical

Most yearly physicals take less than an hour. Our team starts by checking you in and reviewing some basic elements of your health history. We measure your height, weight, and blood pressure. Other common assessments in an annual physical can include:

• Temperature
• Heart rate
• Eyes, ears, and throat exam
• Lung and heart exam
• Testicular exam for men
• Pelvic exam for women

We tailor your yearly physical to meet your health needs, so be prepared for additional testing, if necessary. If you have a pre-existing health condition, like diabetes, we may recommend blood tests or other assessments to check your health.

Your appointment includes time to talk with Dr. Monroe. Use this opportunity to ask any questions you have about your health, including your risk of chronic health issues and ways you can improve your health.

Our team is proud to partner with patients and their families to give them long, healthy lives. We work with you to implement healthy lifestyle changes that fit your goals, whether you’re striving to achieve a healthy weight or you want to lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other common chronic conditions.

Get your annual physical on the calendar and do your part to ensure you’re enjoying your best health. Call us at 623-232-9194 or book online today.