Annual Check-Up

An annual check-up is a highly effective way of identifying health problems before they become more serious. At Rios Healthcare Associates in Houston, Texas, Tomas Rios, MD, Nicolin Neal, and the team offer comprehensive yearly exams that help people stay healthy and get timely diagnosis and treatment. To learn more about the benefits of an annual check-up, call Rios Healthcare Associates today or book an appointment using the online form.

What is an annual check-up?

An annual check-up is a routine medical exam where your provider looks for signs of ill health. It’s an essential element of preventive care, helping you stay healthy and live a long, happy life.

This yearly exam prevents chronic and severe health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers from progressing into potentially life-threatening problems by identifying them in their earliest stages.

During an annual check-up, your provider can also offer advice on ways to improve your health and offer support for lifestyle changes that can help with weight loss, improving your diet, quitting smoking, and reducing stress.

In addition to standard annual check-ups, Rios Healthcare Associates offers specialized exams, such as well-man and well-woman check-ups and sports or employment physicals.

What happens at my annual check-up?

Your annual check-up begins with a discussion about your general health and any symptoms or issues you’ve developed. Your provider also reviews your medical history. Next, they perform a physical exam, starting by checking your vital signs, such as:

• Temperature
• Heart rate 
• Respiration (breathing) rate
• Blood pressure
• Heart and lung sounds
• Blood oxygen levels
• Reflexes

Your provider examines your body, looking at or feeling areas like your abdomen, joints, feet, skin, and spine, identifying any abnormalities. They check your eyes, ears, mouth, and throat and assess how easily you move and whether you have any weakness or instability. Your provider also looks for signs of poor mental health or symptoms of conditions like dementia.

Does my annual check-up involve having tests?

Annual check-ups usually include some lab tests, which the Rios Healthcare Associates team performs onsite. Blood and urine tests are the most common, picking up a variety of problems from infections and nutrient deficiencies to hormone imbalances, high blood glucose levels (indicating you have diabetes), and high cholesterol levels.

Cancer screenings are often part of an annual check-up as well. For example, women might need a Pap smear to check for cervical cancer, while men might require a prostate exam and/or a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to check for prostate cancer.

Other procedures might include additional lab tests or diagnostic imaging like an X-ray or ultrasound scan. Your provider decides which tests you need based on your family medical history, risk factors, and any abnormalities they detect during your exam.

To arrange your annual check-up and benefit from early diagnosis and treatment, call Rios Healthcare Associates today or book an appointment online.