What is a physical examination?
Theoretically speaking, physical examination or health examination refers to the medical service behavior and process of medical examination and evaluation of the health status of asymptomatic individuals and groups, focusing on screening and risk assessment of chronic non-communicable diseases and their risk factors, and providing health guidance and suggestions and health intervention programs [1], that is to say, the real purpose of physical examination is not to check diseases, but to prepare for health management.
Of course, although the purpose of physical examination is not to check the disease, the final result is to check out some abnormal physical conditions, that is, we often say that we have found out the disease, and then carry out in-depth examination and treatment.
Can the physical examination find out all the diseases?
This is the idea of many people, to check all the things that should be checked at one time, to do a physical examination, or to find out their own diseases for treatment, or to have no problem with their health and change their thinking. Is that really the case? Actually, it is not.
We all know that there are many kinds of physical examination, including general physical examination, entry physical examination, gynecological physical examination, male physical examination, children's physical examination and special physical examination of different body parts. Every physical examination has its key examination indicators. It can be said that not all physical diseases can be detected in one physical examination.
Take the most common physical examination of young people as an example. The purpose of young people's physical examination is to understand the basic health status of employees before employment, especially for some special types of industries, such as catering institutions, which need employees' health certificates. People with infectious diseases can't engage in catering industry. The entry physical examination items are relatively simple, involving fewer physical examination indicators, and generally do not detect common diseases and symptoms such as heart disease and diabetes. Every physical examination has its own pertinence and limitations, and all diseases will not be detected only by one physical examination.
You should also find the time for physical examination.
If you want to have a physical examination, besides finding the correct type of physical examination, you need to consider the timing of the physical examination. You can't expect to check out all your physical diseases with a physical examination. The purpose of physical examination is not to check the disease, and the project setting of physical examination is not around the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, including the speed process of physical examination and clinical examination.
If the physical examination is in the disease stage, the physical examination can indeed make a preliminary diagnosis, and it is necessary to go to the corresponding specialist for further diagnosis and treatment of related diseases if abnormal conditions are found. However, some diseases are sudden or sporadic symptoms or reactions, and the signs, symptoms or corresponding indicators are not obvious in the non-onset period, so the physical examination may not be able to obtain relevant information. If you feel unwell, you may even delay the diagnosis and treatment.
Whether it is a community hospital with limited technical equipment or a large 3A hospital with concentrated superior resources, physical examination is limited, and different physical examinations correspond to different parts and symptoms of the body. Of course, we can do a basic physical examination to know the general situation of our body, but it is impossible to find out all the diseases through one examination. The most ideal way is to design a reasonable physical examination plan according to our health status and common signs and symptoms, and we must pay attention to our physical condition and arrange appropriate physical examinations regularly.
References:
[1] Health Management Branch of Chinese Medical Association, editorial board member of Chinese Journal of Health Management, expert of basic physical examination project [J]. China Journal of Health Management, 20 14.
Zhiheng Chen, director of the Health Management Center of the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, has been certified as a technical major and is recommended to read.
Guiding experts:
Zhiheng Chen, master tutor, director of the Health Management Center of the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, is currently the vice president of Zhongguancun Heart Source Health Management Research Institute, member of the Health Management Branch of Chinese Medical Association, deputy head of chronic disease management group, executive director of China Health Management Association, and chairman of functional medicine professional committee of Hunan Health Management Association. Director of Hunan Health Management Quality Control Center, Deputy Director of Health Management Research Center of Central South University, Deputy Director of Health Management Professional Committee of Hunan Medical Association, Executive Director of Hunan Health Management Society and Executive Deputy Director of Health Examination Evaluation Professional Committee, and Editorial Board of China Health Management Journal. Pay attention to the prevention and health care of chronic diseases. Published more than 50 academic papers (including 20 SCI); The main editors are 10 popular science and monographs.