Do You Really Need an Annual Physical If You Feel Fine?
One of the most common things primary care physicians in Turnersville, NJ hear is: ‘I haven’t been to the doctor in years — but I feel fine.’ The challenge is that many serious health conditions — high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, pre-diabetes, early kidney disease — produce no symptoms until they are significantly advanced. The annual physical is your opportunity to catch these conditions before they cause irreversible damage.
What Happens During an Annual Physical at Mediversity?
Vital Signs and Measurements
- Blood pressure (hypertension is the ‘silent killer’ — often asymptomatic until a stroke or heart attack occurs)
- Heart rate and rhythm
- Weight and BMI
- Body temperature and oxygen saturation
- Height (decreasing height can indicate vertebral compression)
Physical Examination
Your physician conducts a systematic head-to-toe examination:
- Head, eyes, ears, nose, throat
- Neck (thyroid palpation, lymph node assessment)
- Heart and lung auscultation
- Abdominal examination
- Skin assessment
- Musculoskeletal assessment
- Neurological screening
- Age-appropriate cancer screenings (prostate, breast, skin, colorectal depending on age)
Comprehensive Blood Panel
Lab work is one of the most valuable parts of the annual visit. Standard panels typically include:
- Complete blood count (CBC) — checks for anemia, infection, blood disorders
- Comprehensive metabolic panel — kidney function, liver function, blood sugar, electrolytes
- Lipid panel — LDL, HDL, total cholesterol, triglycerides
- Fasting glucose and HbA1c — diabetes and pre-diabetes screening
- Thyroid function (TSH)
- Vitamin D levels
- Additional panels based on age, sex, family history, and risk factors
Immunization Review
Your physician reviews your vaccination status and recommends any boosters or new vaccines appropriate for your age and health status — flu shots, pneumonia vaccine, shingles vaccine, Tdap, COVID-19 boosters.
Mental Health Screening
Annual physicals include validated screening tools for depression and anxiety. Many patients benefit from this routine check-in, and many conditions are identified and treated who would never have sought mental health care on their own.
What Conditions Does an Annual Physical Catch Early?
- Hypertension: Present in 1 in 3 American adults, often completely asymptomatic
- Pre-diabetes: 96 million Americans have pre-diabetes; most are undiagnosed
- High cholesterol: No symptoms until cardiovascular disease develops
- Thyroid disorders: Hypothyroidism causes fatigue, weight gain, cold sensitivity — easily treated once identified
- Kidney disease: Early CKD is silent and detectable only through lab work
- Anemia: Can cause fatigue and cognitive impairment; often easily corrected
- Vitamin D deficiency: Widespread and associated with immune dysfunction, bone loss, and mood disorders
Cancer Screenings You Should Not Skip
- Colorectal cancer: Colonoscopy beginning at 45 (or earlier with family history)
- Breast cancer: Annual mammogram for women 40+
- Cervical cancer: Pap smear every 3 years (or every 5 with HPV co-testing) for women 21–65
- Prostate cancer: PSA discussion for men 50+ (earlier with family history or African American)
- Skin cancer: Annual skin check for patients with risk factors
How Often Should You Get a Physical?
For most healthy adults, once per year is appropriate. Patients with chronic conditions, multiple medications, or higher risk profiles may benefit from more frequent check-ins. Your Mediversity physician will advise the right schedule for your individual situation.
Schedule Your Annual Physical in Turnersville, NJ
Do not wait for symptoms to seek care. At Mediversity, our primary care team serves patients across South Jersey from our Turnersville and Salem locations. Learn more about primary care at Mediversity or schedule your annual physical today.