A routine physical exam is necessary for staying proactively healthy. Your primary caregiver uses several tools to conduct this exam annually, making sure no health issues go undetected. These reports are meant to form a record of your health history. Your medical history is created with health information about you, your parents, grandparents, etc. Your immediate family is part of the diagnostic picture because family medical history can be used to identify increased risks for common disorders. Other information can include the medications you may have used or any previous medical procedures and diagnosis that you may have undergone.
What Tools Are Used in a Physical Exam?
A physician carries out a thorough check up, examining your body from head to toe. This includes checking important vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature, and heart rate. It also includes evaluating your body through the following activities: observation, percussion, palpitations, and auscultation. Doctors use instruments and tools to adequately gather most of these metrics. The types of tools doctors use is mostly dependent on their specific jobs. For example, a family doctor will use the following tools to observe and diagnose general physical health:
Stethoscope
A stethoscope is a doctor’s major tool and is seen as a symbol of the medical world. It is a medical device used for auscultation during physical exams. Its function is to examine the internal sounds of a human body. The resonator works like a sensor that picks up sound notes and transfers them through the tubes connected to the earpieces. A stethoscope is typically used to hear sounds made by the heart, lungs, and intestines.
Endoscope
Physicians in the otolaryngology field (commonly known as ear, nose, and throat doctors) use many tools to test, diagnose, and aid in the treatment of ENT concerns. Among these tools, however, is an endoscope.An endoscope is a thin, lonng and flexible tube with a small camera and light attached that can be inserted into your body for observation. Though it can be used for minimally-invasive surgical procedures as well, it’s mainly used for examination of the digestive tract.At the Becker ENT & Allergy Center, for example, this endoscope tool is used to diagnose GERD in patients.
Otoscope
An otoscope is also known as an auriscope. It is a medical device that is used for a primary observation of the ear during a routine check-up. It allows doctors to screen for illness or infection. An otoscope is designed to give a view of the ear canal and eardrum so that doctors can conduct a normal investigation of ear symptoms. An otoscope examination can also detect fluid buildup, wax, punctures, or ruptures. Your doctor will use the best otoscope to conduct a thorough examination of your ears.
Blood Pressure Monitor
A blood pressure device is also known as a sphygmomanometer. It is one of the most common medical instruments found in a clinic or health care facility. As the name suggests, it measures the pressure of blood in the arteries. A sphygmomanometer usually consists of a gauge and a dial face. The cuff gauge is wrapped around the patients upper arm and is inflated to constrict arteries. It is then deflated to hear the systolic blood pressure.
Thermometer
A thermometer measures the temperature of the body. It is one of the most useful tools of the medical industry. A conventional thermometer typically uses a glass tube, containing mercury, with a temperature scale imprinted on it. The expansion and contraction of mercury demonstrates the rise or fall in temperature. Advanced thermometers are capable of monitoring even the slightest temperature change in living bodies.
Ophthalmoscope
An ophthalmoscope is commonly used by doctors to examine the eyes. It provides a view into the interior of the eye including the retina, optic nerve, and lens. It is built with a concave and a rotating disc of lenses through which the doctor is able to examine the eye at various magnifications and depths. An ophthalmoscope is used in advanced areas of practice as well.
Medical devices benefit patients tremendously by enabling a proper diagnosis at the hands of doctors and specialists. They continue to improve the quality of life for millions of patients around the world. If you’re seeking to maintain your equipment efficiency by exploring high-quality medical tools, visit USA Medical Surgical. Not only do they have a fresh and massive collection of tools of various types and brands, they also provide an in-depth knowledge regarding the application of tools like otoscopes and stethoscopes.
How to Extend Care to Loved Ones
Realizing the importance of a physical exam, it is important that you take responsibility for vulnerable adults like your parents and grandparents and take them to visit their physicians as per their doctors’ recommended number of visits per year. If you’re not too sure about how to maintain the health and safety of older people, you can gain some tips and insight by visiting here. Medical needs are natural and cannot be eliminated entirely. They can, however, be managed and taken care of with a timely diagnosis. Whether it is your health that needs medical attention or that of your loved one, your first course of action is to visit your primary doctor.
