If you live in National City and do not have a regular doctor, a yearly checkup is easy to put off. An annual physical exam is one of the simplest ways to find problems that rarely cause early symptoms, such as high blood pressure, prediabetes and high cholesterol. Here is what an adult checkup includes, which screenings fit your age and risk, and how a physical differs from a Medicare wellness visit.
What an Adult Annual Physical Exam Covers
A checkup has four parts: measurements, a health history, a hands-on exam and, when your risk calls for it, lab work. MedlinePlus advises checking your blood pressure, height, weight and body mass index (BMI) at every exam.
- Health history: your medicines and supplements, past illnesses, smoking, alcohol, sleep and mood, plus any family history of diabetes, heart disease or cancer.
- Hands-on exam: heart, lungs, abdomen, skin and joints, along with any concern you bring. It is also a good time to review your vaccines; MedlinePlus recommends a flu vaccine every year.
- Lab work: an adult physical exam with blood work adds tests chosen by your risk rather than one fixed panel, most often an A1C for blood sugar and a lipid panel for cholesterol.
Palm Urgent Care, National City offers physical exams and lab testing at the same location. Our lab testing guide explains how results work.
Screenings Based on Your Age and Risk
Key adult screenings, which your clinician adjusts to your history:
- Blood pressure: at least every 3 to 5 years at ages 18 to 39 with normal readings (MedlinePlus guides for women and men), and at least once a year from age 40.
- Cholesterol: every 4 to 6 years for most healthy adults, and more often with heart disease, diabetes or a family history of high cholesterol (CDC).
- Diabetes: screening from age 35 for adults with overweight or obesity, repeated every 3 years (MedlinePlus).
- Hepatitis C and HIV: a test at least once for all adults 18 and older and for everyone ages 13 to 64.
- Cancer: colorectal screening at ages 45 to 75, and a yearly low-dose lung CT for adults 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history who smoke now or quit within 15 years (MedlinePlus). For women, mammography generally from age 40 every 1 to 2 years. Cervical screening starts at age 21, with a Pap test every 3 years at ages 21 to 29, then at ages 30 to 65 a Pap test every 3 years, an HPV test every 5 years, or both every 5 years (MedlinePlus).
Mammograms, colonoscopies and lung CT scans are done elsewhere; ask your clinician which are due.
Four Silent Risks Worth Checking: Blood Pressure, A1C, Lipids and TB
National City is a working South Bay community, home to many Spanish-speaking and Filipino families and to people who serve or work at the nearby naval base. These checks matter because each condition can be present without symptoms. The figures below are national.
Blood pressure
The CDC reports that nearly half of U.S. adults (48.1%) have high blood pressure, and about 1 in 6 of them are unaware of it. High blood pressure usually has no warning signs, so measuring it is the only way to know.
A1C and blood sugar
About 27.6% of U.S. adults with diabetes are undiagnosed, and 8 in 10 people with prediabetes do not know they have it. CDC risk factors include being 45 or older, having overweight, having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes, and being Hispanic or Latino; some Asian American and Pacific Islander people also have a higher risk. The A1C test needs no fasting and reflects your average blood sugar over the past 2 or 3 months. Below 5.7% is normal, 5.7% to 6.4% is prediabetes, and 6.5% or above is diabetes.
Cholesterol (lipids)
MedlinePlus notes that high cholesterol usually causes no signs or symptoms. A lipid panel measures LDL ("bad") cholesterol, HDL ("good") cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol.
TB risk screening
TB testing is not routine for everyone. The CDC describes a higher risk of TB exposure for people born in or who often travel to countries where TB is common, including some countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and for anyone who recently spent time with a person who has active TB. If that fits you, mention it. TB testing uses a blood test or a skin test. A positive result means more tests, such as a chest x-ray, to tell inactive TB from active disease.
Annual Physical vs Medicare Wellness Visit
Medicare covers a "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visit once within the first 12 months of Part B, then a yearly wellness visit once every 12 months. In Medicare's words, the welcome visit "isn't a comprehensive physical exam."
- Medicare wellness visit: measurements such as weight and blood pressure, a review of your history and prescriptions, and a prevention plan.
- Annual physical: a hands-on exam plus labs chosen by your risk. Medicare names a routine physical exam as a service outside these preventive benefits, so adding one can mean coinsurance, the Part B deductible or the full cost.
Confirm which visit you are scheduling before you arrive. If you have Medi-Cal, see our guide to Medi-Cal benefits at urgent care. For coverage at this clinic, check the National City location page.
How to Prepare and What to Bring
- Every medicine, vitamin and supplement you take, with doses, or the bottles themselves.
- Any family history of diabetes, heart disease, stroke or cancer.
- Recent lab results, home blood pressure readings and your vaccine record.
- Your photo ID and insurance card.
- Your questions, written down.
Ask ahead whether to fast. The CDC notes you may need to fast for 8 to 12 hours before a cholesterol test. School and sports physicals are separate visits; see our sports and school physicals guide.
When to Go to the ER or Call 911
A checkup is for when you feel well. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for:
- Chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, pain in the jaw, neck, back or arms, or feeling weak or light-headed. The CDC lists these as heart attack warning signs.
- Sudden numbness or weakness on one side, confusion, trouble speaking or seeing, loss of balance or a sudden severe headache, which can signal a stroke. Call 911 rather than driving yourself.
- Very high blood pressure with chest pain, severe headache, blurred vision or a seizure, which MedlinePlus calls a medical emergency.
- Thoughts of suicide or an emotional crisis. Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free and confidential at any hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in an annual physical exam?
Blood pressure, height, weight and BMI, a health and family history review, a hands-on exam, and labs matched to your age and risk, such as an A1C or lipid panel.
Do I need to fast before a physical with blood work?
Only for some tests. An A1C does not require fasting, while a cholesterol test may require 8 to 12 hours without eating or drinking. Ask when you schedule.
Is a Medicare wellness visit the same as an annual physical?
No. It focuses on measurements, a history review and a prevention plan. A routine physical added to it may bring out-of-pocket costs.
How often should adults get a physical check up?
It depends on the test. MedlinePlus advises a blood pressure check every 3 to 5 years for adults 18 to 39 with normal readings and at least yearly from age 40. A regular visit helps you and your clinician track which screenings are due.
Where can I get a physical in National City without a regular doctor?
Palm Urgent Care, National City offers physical exams and lab testing at 101 N Highland Ave, Suite F. See the location page for hours, coverage and directions.
Ready to schedule your annual physical exam in National City? Visit Palm Urgent Care at 101 N Highland Ave, Suite F, National City, CA 91950. Hours, coverage and directions are on our National City location page.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for medical advice from a licensed clinician.