Men should get a yearly health exam.
Men of every age should get a physical examination once per year. If you have not been to your doctor in awhile, you might be asking what happens when a guy gets a physical? During your physical examination, your doctor will perform all the standard tests as well as some special tests depending on your age and health.
Nurse's Exam
When you go to your doctor for a physical, the first thing that happens is the nurse asks you to step on a scale so she can get your weight and height. The nurse watches as you read the eye chart on the wall to determine your vision. Next, you are taken to an exam room where the nurse checks your pulse and gets your blood pressure. She takes your temperature, listens to your breathing and your heart. She may ask you some general questions about your health or if you have any concerns you wish to speak to the doctor about. The nurse then leaves the room and tells you the doctor will be with you in a few minutes.
Doctor's Exam
When the doctor comes into the room, he first reviews the file the nurse started for you. He then looks into your ears, mouth, nose and feels the glands in your neck. He also checks your reflexes and listens to your heart and lungs. He may ask you questions about your general health, such as the medications you take, your diet, your exercise habits and your sexual activity. The doctor has you lie back on the table so he can palpitate your abdominal region and then do a very quick examination of the testicles and penis. The doctor looks for signs of a hernia by asking you to cough as he examines the scrotum. He may perform a digital rectal exam if he believes you are at risk for colon cancer.
Doctor's Recommendations
At the end of the exam, the doctor discusses with you any extra tests that he believes are important for you to have according to your health and age. He informs you of any health risks he has determined you might have and recommends treatment. He also may recommend getting your immunizations up to date.
Blood and Urine Tests
Depending on your age, there are several standard blood and urine tests your doctor orders. A complete blood count, or CBC, is usually ordered. Your doctor can tell if you have any blood disorders with this test. He also checks for diabetes, thyroid disorders and cholesterol levels with a blood test. A prostate specific antigen, or PSA, test is performed to check for inflammation of the prostate. A drug test may be performed, especially if one is required by an employer. Other blood tests may be performed to detect sexually transmitted diseases.
Colonoscopy
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that men over the age of 50 have a colorectal cancer test. The first test your doctor might perform to look for abnormalities is a digital rectal exam and fecal exam to detect blood in your stool. If necessary, you will be sent to have further tests, such as a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy, by a gastroenterologist. A special diet needs to be followed the week before the colonoscopy exam. During the exam, the doctor looks for and removes polyps if any are present.
Heart Tests
If you are overweight, have high blood pressure or other health indicators, your doctor might order an electrocardiogram, or EKG. An EKG detects heart conditions. The test is done on an outpatient basis. During the test, sensors are placed on your body; some EKG tests involve doing mild exercises to test your heart rhythms and some just have you lie still while the machine records the electrical activity of your heart.
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