Don’t avoid your annual physical exam! Having a physician perform a thorough exam – can provide you with some assurance that you are taking the best care of yourself. It’s also an opportunity to take a moment and check in with your body to address any nagging concerns that can be discussed with your doctor. Dr. Emina is a trained naturopathic primary care physician, able to offer full screening physical exams, and provide a thorough assessment of the human body from head to toe. Your naturopathic physical exam will include many of the following:
- Vital signs (Blood Pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, body temperature) to assess for anemia, thyroid dysfunction, adrenal fatigue or hypertension
Body Composition Test (see below) - EENT – Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat exam to asses for sinusitis, pharyngitis, infections, benign masses, thyroid health.
- Heart and Lung Auscultation & Circulation
- Full abdominal exam to assess digestive function and gastrointestinal health
- Skin, hair, and nail examination to assess for nutrient deficiencies, autoimmune conditions, or hormonal imbalances
- Much more!
Dr. Emina may also provide additional physical exams based on your health concerns and goals – for example. Dr. Emina is able to provide an accurate body composition or pelvic exam in a relaxing and non-stressful environment. Dr. Emina may also order additional blood work or screening tests for further assessment based on your unique concerns, pre-existing risk factors for disease, or family medical history.
Book your Annual Physical
The annual physical exam has been questioned in the last few years, as being not very useful. It takes time and costs the medical system money. The problem is we only end up helping patients when they become very ill, not before. That’s because we have a disease-focused health care system. What we need is a health-focused health care system! Why not address your feeling of unwellness from a functional perspective? If you are not feeling well, you are not functioning well, and that can be years away from waiting for actual disease to set in.
I strongly believe in treating a person with dis-ease and dysfunction, before waiting for the body (and mind) to fall apart in order to treat just disease.
Annual physicals help doctors and patients form closer relationships, and this can improve the quality of care. A healthy doctor-patient relationship builds trust and allows for better counseling around preventive behaviors and lifestyle factors like diet and exercise. When a person has good rapport with their doctor, they may be more willing to make appointments when they notice new symptoms, or to request advice when debating a health-related decision.
When was your last physical exam? What did you have done?
Compare that experience with the detailed Naturopathic physical exam listed above. Why not spend an hour with a Naturopathic Doctor getting all your questions answered rather than 15 minutes with your Family Doctor. In fact, why not do both?
What you can expect:
Body Composition Test with BIA
Your BIO-IMPEDENCE ANALYSIS (BIA) shows your measurement of body fat in relation to lean body muscle mass. A BIA is usually performed during your physical exam, which is commonly your second visit with Dr. Emina.
You will also learn:
- How toxic your body is
- If you are drinking enough water
- How many calories you are burning in a day
- Your real age vs. your chronological age
- If you are burning fat or muscle
- How healthy your cells are
Excess body fat can greatly increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. Lowering your body fat helps reduce the risk of a variety of serious health condition. Help your body to function properly for healthy aging!
Fully clothed, comfortable, painless and quick… the assessment is a very accurate measurement used to create an effective personalized plan for optimal health and a lifetime of wellbeing! The following guidelines should be followed to prepare for your body composition assessment
BIA Pre-Test Preparation:
- Consume 2 to 4 glasses of water 2 hours prior
- No alcohol within 24 hours prior
- No food, exercise, or caffeine for 4 hours prior
- No diuretic medications for 6 hours prior
- Void body of fluids prior to test
- Remove all metal jewelry prior to test
- Do not wear pantyhose
Pelvic & Breast Exams
Dr. Emina is able to provide pelvic examinations for vaginal, uterine, and ovarian health by administering in office gynecological exams, Pap Smear tests, and vaginal swabs in a relaxing and non-stressful environment.
The Papanicolaou test (Pap Smear) is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially precancerous and cancerous processes in the cervix (opening of the uterus or womb). Your pap smear is sent to the BC Cancer Agency and usually take 4-5 weeks to report your results. The current recommendation is to have a Pap smear every 3 years, beginning at the age of 25.
Ear Lavage
It is important to have your ears examined, before having an ear lavage. An otoscope is placed into the opening of your ear to examine for excess cerumen (ear wax). The otoscope shines a light into your ear and magnifies the image. If there is excess wax buildup or foreign materials (and not something more serious, like a perforation or infection), then you can proceed with an ear lavage.
Dr. Emina will have you lay down comfortably in the office while she uses a syringe to insert water or a water and saline mixture into the ear to flush out the wax. You may feel slight discomfort from the water in your ear. It is also important to Preparation for an Ear Lavage. We recommend patients to apply one to two drops of olive oil or a garlic/mullein oil into each ear at bedtime for 3 nights in a row prior to the day of your appointment. This will help to soften the wax for easy removal.
Common side effects of ear lavage may include temporary dizziness, ear canal discomfort, pressure or tenderness, tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. Side effects are typically short-lasting and go away within a day.
TCM Assessment
When you book acupuncture treatments with Dr. Emina, tongue and pulse assessment from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective is used to assess for underlying dysfunction in energy, mood, and general health. Pulse evaluation will often accompany most acupuncture appointments.
Dr. Emina may also order additional blood work or screening tests for further assessment based on your unique concerns, pre-existing risk factors for disease, or family medical history.