How to Know if You Need a Physical or Wellness Exam
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Visiting your doctor annually can play a critical role in preserving and promoting your overall health and well-being. Today, patients have more options than ever when it comes to preventive healthcare and other tools to gain valuable insights into their health status and risk factors. Among these are annual physicals and regular wellness exams, also known as well checks or well visits. However, the similarities between these two health evaluations lead many patients to ask whether a well visit vs. physical exam is the most appropriate choice for them.
At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers, Beverly Hills board-certified physician and wellness specialist Dr. Avi Ishaaya performs both physicals and wellness exams to help patients get the most comprehensive view of their health, risk factors, and strategies for acute and long-term wellness. Generally speaking, physical exams are performed as a head-to-toe assessment of health and/or to evaluate a specific symptom complex, while well visits take a more preventive approach toward identifying potential health risks and formulating risk reduction strategies that improve a patient's overall well-being. Take a closer look here at factors that may help determine whether a physical exam vs. well check is the suitable option for you at this time.
What's the difference between a physical and well exam?
While the terms are often used interchangeably — and while both evaluations do share some similarities — physical exams and wellness exams are two distinct assessments that serve unique purposes and yield equally unique insights. In most cases, a physical exam is considered a tool used to identify potential health problems, while a wellness exam is more focused on overall well-being and disease prevention. Below, you'll find a helpful summary of what's included in a physical exam and what's included in a wellness visit.
What's included in a physical exam?
Each physical exam is tailored to align with the individual patient's health history, concerns, symptoms, and other personal values, though most annual physicals include some combination of the following:
- Review of medical and health history
- Check of vital signs
- Physical examination
- Appropriate lab studies (blood work)
What's included in a wellness exam?
Some components of a wellness exam may overlap with a physical exam, though a well visit is typically performed with a targeted focus on disease prevention, management, and long-term well-being. Some of the screenings and tools often included in a well visit are:
- Review of medical and health history
- Risk assessment and stratification
- Preventive screenings
- Counseling and education
- Mental health evaluation
Do I need a physical exam or wellness check?
Both physical exams and well visits can be extremely valuable for almost anyone, though there are certain factors that may make one or the other more appropriate at a particular time. Some signs and situations that may mean a physical exam is a suitable choice include:
- Symptoms of illness
- New or changing symptoms
- New injury or persistent pain
- Pre-surgery evaluation
- Evaluation required for sports or school
- Occupational requirements
- Routine annual check-up
Wellness exams, on the other hand, may be recommended for the following:
- Focus on preventive care
- Need for dietary and lifestyle counseling
- Health risk assessment
- Required or recommended immunizations
- Chronic disease prevention
- Mental health screening
- General health maintenance
When in doubt, don't hesitate to call our friendly team to learn more about whether you may benefit most from a wellness exam vs. annual physical.
Looking for deeper insights into your health and wellness? Schedule a comprehensive health evaluation in Beverly Hills, CA
There are a few things you can do that are as important for your current and future health as maintaining a regular cadence of evaluations with your physician. If you have questions about the benefit of a physical vs. well visit, how often you should get a physical or wellness exam, or another aspect of your overall health and wellness, we encourage you to call Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers to speak with one of our caring team members to learn more and to schedule a consultation with Beverly Hills, CA board-certified physician Dr. Avi Ishaaya. We look forward to helping you achieve your health goals together.