Physical exams are the cornerstone of healthcare. Having regular physicals is one of the best ways to stay healthy as you get older. What many people don’t know about physicals, though, is that there are different types of physical exams — and the type you need depends on several specific factors.
At Triad Primary Care, our team offers an array of physical exams for patients in and around Greensboro, North Carolina, tailoring every exam for each patient’s specific needs. Here’s a brief review of each type of exam we offer to help you know which exam to schedule for your needs.
Our team offers the following physical exams for our patients:
Annual physicals play an integral role in primary care for patients of all ages. At an annual physical, our team performs an in-depth review and evaluation of your health and wellness, with evaluations focused on helping you stay healthy through preventive care and important medical screenings.
Pediatric physicals serve the same basic purpose as adult physicals: to help your child stay healthy throughout their childhood years. But they also provide our team an opportunity to identify potential issues or delays in growth and development, so they can be promptly addressed. And of course, they also provide an opportunity for childhood vaccines focused on helping your child avoid serious illnesses.
Sports and camp physicals focus on specific requirements for an individual sports team or camp. These evaluations ensure your child is healthy enough to participate in specific activities, while also providing guidance to help them learn healthy behaviors to reduce their risk of injury.
School physicals focus on physical development as well as emotional development and social skills. In addition to identifying potential delays that could interfere with learning or social growth, these physicals can also help spot problems with vision, hearing, or speech that could have an impact on your child’s overall wellness and quality of life. As with other physical exams, our team also looks for signs of anxiety or depression that benefit from early intervention.
Many employers require a baseline physical exam to ensure you’re healthy enough for your job and to identify any potential health issues either prior to being hired or as part of an ongoing requirement for health insurance. These exams can vary, depending on the requirements of your employer and your health insurance provider.
Department of Transportation physicals have specific requirements set forth by the government to ensure you’re healthy enough to drive a commercial vehicle. Your exam can also identify if you might need glasses or another accommodation to perform your duties. Not every medical practice is qualified to perform these exams — but we are.
Like DOT exams, immigration physicals have guidelines established by the government. These physicals focus on identifying significant health issues that could have an impact on your immigration process and goals. Our team is skilled in immigration physicals and in completing the paperwork that can keep the immigration process on track.
Physical exams vary by their purpose or goals, so it makes sense that what happens during the exam will vary, too. Most every exam includes the “basics”: blood pressure measurements, weight, a review of your medical history, and your temperature. Beyond that, the evaluations they use can be different.
Many exams, such as a sports physical or the DOT exam, have their own unique requirements, along with forms that need to be filled out. These exams have specific evaluations based on physical (or sometimes psychological) demands — for example, ensuring you’re healthy enough to play a particular sport or drive a commercial vehicle.
General physical exams tend to be the most comprehensive type of physical, focusing not only on identifying potential health issues, but also on providing you with preventive care and lifestyle guidance tailored to your age and risk factors. If you need lab tests, like urinalysis or blood work, we have an on-site lab to make testing convenient for you.
One thing all physical exams have in common — they’re all focused on helping you stay healthy. To learn more about the physical exams we offer or to schedule an exam for yourself or a loved one, call 336-800-8958 or book an appointment online with Triad Primary Care today.
