Male physical exam

Annual exams are an important tool for staying healthy. During these visits, your provider gives you recommendations and screenings specific to your health risks as a man.

These routine appointments are an opportunity to check your overall health. And they could increase your chances of detecting chronic conditions early, when they’re more treatable. At Aurora Health Care, you have easy access to annual exams and routine screenings throughout Wisconsin.

What’s a male annual physical?

A male annual physical is an appointment to check your overall health, even if you don’t feel sick. Your primary care provider uses the annual physical to screen for chronic health conditions and evaluate your risk of developing these diseases. They may also provide preventive screenings, give vaccinations or check your bloodwork.

Why do men need an annual physical exam?

If you feel fine, you may wonder why you need to see your provider. Many chronic conditions don’t cause symptoms in the early stages. Your health care provider has special training to spot the early signs of these diseases. Detecting disease as soon as possible increases your chances of effective treatment for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer.

Completing your annual exam also helps establish a baseline for your health. When you see your doctor yearly, they can more easily detect small health changes you may not even notice.

How often should men get a physical?

Most men need a yearly physical, especially after they turn 50. If you’re younger than 50 and have few risk factors for chronic diseases, you may be able to see your provider less often. If you have many risk factors or are over 50, your provider may recommend coming more often. Your provider can give you personalized guidance about how often you need to schedule routine appointments.

What does a male physical include?

A male physical includes everything you’d expect from an annual exam, plus some preventive screenings and advice tailored to men’s health needs and risks.

Health history update

You fill out a form or answer questions related to your health risk factors, including your:

• Alcohol and tobacco intake
• Diet
• Exercise habits
• Family history
• Past health problems or surgeries
• Vaccination status

Mental health screening

Your exam typically also includes a screening to check for mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. You may answer questions about your energy, sleep habits, moods and relationships. Your provider can offer treatments or refer you to other resources, such as therapy, as needed.

Physical exam

Every physical exam includes a check of your vital signs, such as your:

• Blood pressure: Your provider uses a blood pressure cuff to measure the force of your blood moving through your blood vessels. A healthy range for blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg or less. Blood pressure above 140/80 mmHg may require treatment.
• Heart rate: Your provider takes your pulse by placing two or three fingers on the inside of your wrist. For most people, a healthy pulse is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. However, some people have slightly higher or lower pulses and are still in good overall health.
• Respiration rate: Respiration rate measures how many breaths you take each minute. Between 12 and 16 breaths is considered a healthy range for adults. Taking more than 20 breaths per minute could be a sign of a heart or lung problem.
• Temperature: The average healthy temperature is around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. However, many healthy people have a temperature that’s slightly higher or lower.

Your provider also calculates your body mass index (BMI), looks inside your mouth, nose and ears, and feels the lymph nodes in your neck. They listen to your back and chest to check for any signs of heart or lung problems.

Vaccinations

Your provider checks if you’re due for any vaccinations and updates your record. They may also give you vaccines at your exam, such as the:

• Annual flu shot
• COVID vaccine
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination
• Tetanus booster
• Shingles vaccine, after age 50
• Pneumococcal vaccine, after age 65

Preventive screenings for men

You may need preventive screenings to check for conditions that men have a higher risk of developing. Your provider may complete these screenings during your annual exam or ask you to schedule them for another appointment. You may need:

Cholesterol screening: Most men need a cholesterol check by age 35 and then every four to six years thereafter. You may start cholesterol checks younger if you have risk factors for coronary artery disease. A blood test evaluates your levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol), high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol) and another type of fat called triglycerides.

Colon cancer screening: Everyone should start colon cancer screening by age 45. A colonoscopy is the gold standard colon cancer screening. If you have a low risk of colon cancer, you may get other screenings instead.

Diabetes screening: If you have risk factors for diabetes, you’ll need to start screening by age 35. Younger men with risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity or a family history of diabetes may need to start screening earlier.

Lung cancer screening: You may need a lung cancer screening if you’re over 50 and have a history of smoking. Your provider will give you personalized guidance about whether you need a lung cancer screening.

Prostate cancer screening: Some men need prostate cancer screenings after age 50. African American men may need screening earlier due to increased risk. Your provider will discuss screening options and help you understand whether it’s right for you.

Testicular exam: Sometimes, your provider examines your testicles to check for tenderness, lumps or other changes during your annual exam. Some providers only perform a testicular exam if you’ve noticed recent changes.