Preventive care & physicals
Annual check-up
An annual check-up is a scheduled visit to catch problems before they cause symptoms — blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and the screening appropriate to your age and history. It is also the appointment where you can raise the thing you have been meaning to mention.
Come in if you have
- You have not had a check-up in over a year
- You need a physical for work, school or sports
- You are over 40 and have never had cholesterol or blood sugar checked
- Something has been on your mind that never seems urgent enough to book for
- You have a family history you are worried about
What happens at your visit
- We go through your history, your family history, and anything you have noticed.
- We check the basics — blood pressure, weight, heart, lungs — and order blood work appropriate to your age and risk.
- We review your vaccinations and any screening that is due.
- You leave knowing your numbers, what they mean, and what if anything to do about them.
The point is what you cannot feel
High blood pressure, raised cholesterol and early diabetes share one important feature: they cause no symptoms whatsoever until they have already caused harm. By the time you feel something, you have usually had the condition for years.
That is the entire argument for an annual visit. It is not about being reassured that you are fine — it is about checking the things you have no way of knowing.
Bring your list
Most people have something they have been meaning to ask about — a mole, a recurring headache, sleep, mood, something embarrassing — that never feels urgent enough to book its own appointment.
This is the appointment for it. Write it down before you come, because it is remarkably easy to forget once you are in the room.
What gets checked
It depends on your age, sex, family history and risk factors, but generally:
- Blood pressure, weight, heart and lungs
- Blood work — cholesterol, blood sugar, kidney and liver function
- Vaccinations that are due
- Age-appropriate cancer screening, and referrals where needed
- A conversation about anything you have noticed
Physicals for work, school and sports
We do these too. Bring the form with you — if there is a specific section your employer or school needs completed, having the paperwork in hand saves a second visit.
Common questions
- Do I need to fast?
- If we are checking cholesterol or fasting glucose, usually yes — nothing but water for around 8 to 12 hours. Tell us when you book and we will confirm, so you are not caught out.
- Is a check-up covered by insurance?
- Most plans cover an annual preventive visit at no cost to you, but the details vary and a visit can be billed differently if we end up treating a specific problem. Call us and we will check your plan.
- What is the difference between a physical and a wellness visit?
- In everyday use people mean the same thing. Insurance sometimes distinguishes them, particularly for Medicare. We will bill it correctly for your plan — ask at the front desk if you want to know how it will be coded.
- I feel fine. Is this worth doing?
- The conditions worth catching early — high blood pressure, high cholesterol, early diabetes — have no symptoms at all until they have done damage. Feeling fine is exactly when this visit is useful.
This page explains how we care for this condition at our office. It is general information, not medical advice for your specific situation — please talk to us about your own care.
Ready to get this looked at?
Call us or send a request and we will get you in — often the same or next day.