Physical Exams Specialist
Quality First Family Health
Ebony Washington, FNP-BC
Family Practice located in Humble, TX
A physical exam is an effective way of checking how healthy you are and identifying any potential problems before they make you sick. At Quality First Family Health in Humble, Texas, practice founder Ebony Washington, FNP-BC, offers comprehensive physical exams and effective ways of improving your health based on the exam’s findings. They accept cash and cards but prefer cash payments. Call Quality First Family Health today to arrange your physical exam or book an appointment online.
Physical Exams Q & A What are physical exams?
Physical exams are medical checkups that assess your overall health and well-being. During your physical exam, Ebony at Quality First Family Health can look for any indications of diseases or other health problems before they start causing symptoms.
Many of the conditions that commonly affect people in the United States cause few if any symptoms at all. This includes diseases such as:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Some cancers
At your physical exam, Ebony can identify conditions like these before they reach a stage where they become irreversible or pose a significant threat to your health.
When would I have a physical exam?
You might have a physical exam during an annual health check. An annual physical is an invaluable way of keeping yourself in the best of health, but there are also other reasons you might need to have a physical exam, such as:
- Insurance policies
- Employer drug testing
- Pre-employment physicals
- Executive physicals
- Job requirement
- Sports exams
- DoT physical
You also need a physical exam at 65 when you enroll with Medicare. As part of the Welcome to Medicare process, you should be eligible for a wellness visit, which includes a basic physical exam.
The annual wellness visit is covered by Medicare, but it focuses on preventing ill-health through lifestyle improvements rather than tests and screenings. You won’t receive as rigorous a health check with a wellness visit as you would with an annual physical.
What happens during a physical exam?
Ebony tailors every patient’s physical exam to their specific needs. For instance, if you have any chronic health conditions she takes particular care to check for signs of the condition deteriorating.
Most physical exams start with recording your vital signs, including:
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate
- Respiration rate
- Temperature
- Reflexes
Ebony looks at your skin to see if you have any problems like a rash or suspicious moles. She listens to your heart and lung sounds and goes over your body, checking for any anomalies like organ enlargement or lumps.
While she’s carrying out your physical exam, Ebony is also observing your interactions and mood. This helps her see if there are any warning signs of psychological problems like depression or anxiety, or neurological problems like dementia.
Ebony also takes blood and urine samples to test for:
- High blood sugar
- High cholesterol
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Hormone imbalances
- Infections
For some conditions, you might need to undergo screening tests, depending when you last had them. For example, men might need a prostate exam to check for an enlarged prostate, and women might need a Pap smear to check for cervical cancer.
If Ebony sees anything during your physical exam that needs further investigation, she can request more tests or diagnostic imaging studies like X-rays or a CT or MRI scan.
To arrange your physical exam, call Quality First Family Health today or book an appointment online.
