The Importance of Having an Annual Physical

The notification pops up on your calendar the same time every year, and every time you see it, you groan: “I have to get my annual physical … again.”

Before you let your groan out this year, though, consider this: your annual physical exam is actually a small investment of time to protect you from some big problems that can occur.

At Primora Primary Care, our focus is on improving the health of our patients, and annual physicals are a key way we achieve this. Here’s why they’re so important.

What is an annual physical?

An annual physical is a routine yearly checkup that assesses your health and determines your risk for major diseases. An exam at Primora by Dr. Varun Kommalapati includes several components:

Your health history and lifestyle

We’ll review your medical records and find out your habits, including exercise, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and any health concerns you have.

Physical exam

We’ll check your vital signs and do a physical exam of your body, including a check of your skin, internal organs, reflexes, head area (eyes, ears, nose, throat), and more.

Lab tests

We’ll order lab work, including blood tests and urinalyses, to conduct more comprehensive health checks. This will give us insight into your cholesterol, vitamin levels, hormone balances, blood sugar, and much more.

Immunizations and screenings

We’ll determine which vaccines you might need, and we can recommend screenings that depend on your age and sex, such as a Pap smear or prostate exam.

Why are they important?

These exams are important for several reasons:

Baseline health assessment

Visiting your doctor every year gives them a good idea of your normal condition. Establishing this normal state early is vital because it allows the doctor to identify at a glance if anything appears abnormal in the exam or lab results. Plus, you can build a relationship with your doctor so that if you do have a health issue later, you have already built a trusting relationship.

Catch diseases early

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are easier to manage and treat when they’re detected early. A yearly doctor visit gives you the chance to do that. If you waited 5 years to go to the doctor, any condition you have might be well-advanced by that point and more challenging to treat.

Preventative care

Let’s face it — you’re not going to just wander into the doctor’s office on your own to request the latest screening that applies to you. Annual visits build in an automatic mechanism for preventative screenings, immunizations, and updates on your health goals that would not otherwise occur.

Manage chronic conditions

If you do have a chronic condition, an annual physical is the perfect time for your doctor to see how you’re doing and recommend any changes to your lifestyle or adjustments to your medications.

If you’re due (or overdue) for your annual physical, our team at Primora Primary Care is always happy to help. To schedule an appointment, simply call our Bridgeville office or use our online booking tool to select a time that suits you.