Medical History: the Most Significant Aspect of a Complete Medical Examination

Try to recall the very first complete medical examination you had; you may think that was just one of those routine checkups. In reality though, that first complete medical checkup was very important in that it established the starting point from which future changes in the general condition of your body may be gauged. It is ideal for a person to undergo his first complete medical checkup when he is about twenty years old, and should be done anew whenever he changes doctor.

Depending on one's age, sex, race, and family and social histories, the doctor may make the necessary modifications in the examination. A complete medical checkup begins with the compilation of an extended medical history, which most doctors consider to be the most significant aspect of the examination. A person's medical history supplies vital data that can be used immediately; it also provides an outline of probable areas of concern for the future.

In compiling your medical history, your doctor will ask you detailed questions concerning your family's health, extending back a couple of generations at the minimum. In this regard, you have to be prepared for such questions related to your grandparents, like how long they lived, the cause or causes of their death, if they used alcohol excessively, or if they had any known diseases. Similarly, you will be asked about the past and present health of your parents as well as those of your siblings'. Finally, you will be asked about your own health.

Your medical history, therefore, is not merely a record of illnesses or diseases which you may have contracted during your childhood. Rather, it is a representation of your total medical profile. The answer you give to each of the questions related to your personal concerns or habits will be very important for your doctor to have a thorough understanding of your health. Such questions may pertain to your eating habits, the state of your emotions, or even your sex life. Additionally, your doctor may require you to supply relevant information that will make him aware of any allergies you may have and of the medications you are currently taking or have taken in the past.

After the compilation of your medical history, your doctor will proceed with the examination by making you go through an exhaustive physical checkup. This physical checkup may - depending on you as the patient, your doctor, and the available facilities - include X-rays, an electrocardiogram test, urine and feces tests, and several blood tests. [Read the Original Article]