When you’re preparing for your annual physical, you must follow specific guidelines to ensure a successful examination. One of the most important aspects of this preparation is abstaining from eating before the physical. While it may seem inconvenient, there are many reasons why medical professionals recommend not eating before your annual physical.
Accurate Examination
If you want an accurate examination, abstaining from food is normally routine because it allows your body to be in its natural state. This practice is essential for evaluating your overall well-being and identifying any potential medical conditions. By refraining from food, medical professionals can obtain reliable baseline measurements, ensuring a thorough health assessment.
Food Affects Blood Work
Eating before a physical can significantly affect your blood work results. When you eat food, it can alter the levels of certain substances in your blood, leading to inaccurate test results. This inaccuracy can create confusion and potentially delay the evaluation process. Inaccurate readings may require additional testing or further evaluation.
Unnecessary Delays and Extra Tests
Inaccurate blood work results due to eating can cause unnecessary delays and additional tests. Skewed results may make medical professionals conduct additional tests to obtain accurate readings, prolonging the examination process. This delay can result in extra time and costs, potentially causing delays in your health assessment process. Delays and extra testing aren’t the end of the world, but when they’re preventable, there’s no need to go down this path.
Physical Examination Rescheduling
In extreme cases where an individual has eaten before the physical, they may need to reschedule their appointment. This rescheduling is necessary to ensure accurate test results and provide you with the best possible health-care evaluation. By rescheduling the appointment, medical professionals can ensure that you receive the most accurate assessment and appropriate health-care recommendations. It’s up to your doctor to decide whether you need further testing or must reschedule the test entirely if you ate before the examination.
While it may be tempting to grab a quick bite before your physical, medical professionals advise that you refrain from eating beforehand. By doing so, you will ensure an accurate and efficient examination, benefitting both your health and your assessment. Let AFC Urgent Care help, we can take care of your annual physical while taking care of you.
