What Tests Are Done During an Annual Physical?

Boynton Beach in Palm Beach, Florida, is a beautiful place. The sandy beaches, the ocean, and the people make it an incredible place to live. Senior citizens primarily live in the area, and it’s crucial for them to look after their health. Boynton Beach annual physical exams are vital to maintaining proper health. A physical exam will include various tests including:

Blood Pressure Reading

Blood pressure tests are one of the most common tests during an annual physical. Blood pressure measures how hard your heart has to work to circulate blood through your body. It is recorded as two numbers, separated by a slash or a dot. For example, it could be written as 120/80. The top number is your systolic blood pressure, the pressure on the arteries when your heart beats which measures how much work your heart has to do to pump blood around your body.

Aortic Pulse

Most people are unaware of this test, but it is imperative during an annual physical in Boynton Beach. A pulse is the number of times per minute your heart beats. It is measured at certain points in your body, including the neck (carotid artery) and the wrist (radial artery). An aortic pulse is another name for an arterial blood pressure reading taken from the upper part of your body, usually when your arm is resting on a table.

Respiratory Rate Check

Another vital sign of good health during an annual physical is the respiratory rate. Respiratory rate, also called breathing rate, is how many times per minute your body takes air in and then releases it out again. Every time you breathe while sitting or standing still, this process is called a respiratory cycle. To get the number of cycles per minute, you count the number of times your chest rises and falls over one minute.

Eye Check

A standard annual physical in Boynton Beach will include an eye check. Doctors use this test to make sure that eyes are not too dry or too wet, whether your vision is clear and regular, and also check for glaucoma signs. Doctors will measure the pressure in your eyes if they think you have glaucoma or another type of eye problem that affects pressure. They will also use a light to look at the shape and structure of your eyes.

Hearing Check

Most people take their hearing for granted, but it is crucial to ensure you have good hearing during an annual physical in Boynton Beach. If you can’t hear well, then everything around you becomes difficult. Doctors usually test hearing by whispering a series of “one, two, three” to see if you can hear them, which is known as the whisper test and is an early sign of hearing loss. Sometimes doctors will carry out a more complex hearing test using sounds or tones which change in pitch.

An annual physical in Boynton Beach is a standard check that everyone should get at least once a year. The exam usually takes about an hour, and it includes various tests that determine whether you are prone to certain diseases or not. These tests sustain your health further through early diagnoses of any potential issues, which can be crucial to your goal of remaining healthy.