Your Health

Our patient's are encouraged to have regularly scheduled physicals. We ask that patients 65 and older have physicals every year, and patients under the age of 65 every two years. Some patients wish to have their physicals annually. The following are some of the tests that are performed at a patient's physical.

Electrocardiogram: An electrocardiogram (ECG / EKG) is an electrical recording of the heart and is used in the investigation of heart disease. The test is done by placing multiple electrodes over the chest wall and limbs in standard positions. The small electrical signal from the heart is then recorded.The procedure is totally painless. An electrocardiogram can give important information about the electrical rhythm of your heart. It shows electrical conduction, muscle mass, presence of arrhythmia, ischemia or infarction and even electrical disturbance and drug effects.

Vital Capacity Test (Spirometry): The spirometer measures two important numbers; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). These numbers are simple expressions of complex processes, just like blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels measure complex processes. The numbers obtained for FEV1 (air flow) and FVC (air volume) by a spirometer are important for the patient and the physician to predict lung health and to monitor the course of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and its response to treatment. You will be asked to hold a mouth piece of the spirometer in your mouth, inhale as much air as possible, then exhale forcefully into the spirometer.

Occult Blood Screening: Blood present in the stool which cannot be detected by simply looking at the stool is called occult (or hidden) blood. Dr. Martin will perform a rectal examination and at that time will collect a small sample of stool. The sample is checked chemically for the presence of blood, which can be identified in minute quantities. Note that this is not a test for cancer, only for the presence of blood in the stool. .

Prostate Examination (men): During a prostate exam a physician is able to determine any irregularity within your prostate gland. Irregularities might be an enlarged prostate, a lesion on the prostate or a lump on the prostate. With early detection a patient is able to be treated, in most cases, successfully. Utilizing a gloved index finger the physician will access the prostate gland through the rectum. This technique allows the physician to feel the prostate for any irregularities. The exam takes approximately 2 minutes or less.

Pap Smear (women): The uterus or womb is a small, pear shaped organ located in a woman's pelvis. It has two parts; the uterus itself and the neck of the uterus, or the cervix. The test for changes in the cervix or neck of the womb which can tell if a pre-cancerous or cancerous condition exists is known as the 'Pap test' or the 'Pap smear'. An instrument called a speculum is inserted into the vagina and cells are gently taken from the surface of the cervix and placed on a glass slide which is sent to a laboratory. The cells are then examined under a microscope. In most women, these cells are absolutely normal. In a very few, the cells do not look normal. When this occurs the test is repeated and, if necessary, further examinations made. Even if further investigation or treatment is required, the Pap test enables doctors to discover cancer, or precancerous changes early so that the chances for a complete cure are greatly increased.