What is an annual examination?
Keeping up with annual exams helps keep you well, and catches serious health conditions before they become life-threatening. Men, women, and children benefit from scheduling wellness visits annually (or more often if Dr. Leach recommends it).
What should I expect during an annual wellness exam?
Annual exams for men, women, and children differ based on which screenings and tests are necessary, but these exams have several things in common. Dr. Leach:
- Goes over your medical history
- Checks blood pressure and body weight
- Listens to your heart and lungs
- Checks your reflexes
- Orders blood work (for cholesterol, etc.) as needed
- Completes a pelvic exam for women
She may also complete gender- or age-related screenings, such as:
- A breast exam to check for lumps in women’s breasts
- Mammogram screening for women over age 40
- Pap tests to check for signs of cervical cancer in women
- Prostate cancer screenings for men ages 50 and older who are at risk
- Colorectal screenings beginning at age 50
- Screenings for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) if necessary
- Lung cancer screenings for smokers ages 55 and older
During children’s wellness exams, Dr. Leach makes sure your child is growing and developing normally. She checks for signs and symptoms of illness, injury, and disease — and completes school and sports physicals as needed. She provides vaccinations for disease prevention as well.
Dr. Leach focuses on wellness and disease prevention, rather than treating diseases after they occur. She always recommends the most natural, least invasive treatment first and specializes in medical marijuana.
How often should I schedule a wellness exam?
Dr. Leach talks with you to determine how often to come in for an annual wellness exam. As the name implies, scheduling a visit once a year if you’re healthy is a good rule of thumb. She may recommend coming in more often if you have a chronic health condition.
When you’re ready to kick disease symptoms to the curb before they become serious or life-threatening — or if you require a physical exam for work, school, or sports — call Dr. Leach’s office today or book an appointment online.
