Redefining Your Next Wellness Consultation

It’s a familiar scenario. You’ve been feeling unwell for a while, maybe it's fatigue that won’t go away, nagging headaches, or stress that just won’t ease up. Finally, you decide to visit your clinician, expecting the usual routine: a quick check of your vitals, some few questions, and possibly some lab work. But what if your next wellness assessment could offer so much more?

Meet Ms. Kirabo (not her real name - an illustration of how anyone can present), a 35-year-old mother of two, who had been juggling her career and family responsibilities for years. She scheduled a quick check-in with a doctor, after noticing she was feeling more exhausted than usual, with occasional headaches in the evening. But this wasn’t just any routine visit. Her clinician took a deeper approach, looking into not only her physical health but her lifestyle, stress levels, sleep patterns, and emotional state.

Kirabo had never had a holistic assessment of her body done, and when she understood the need for it, she was able to consent to it. What she expected to be a simple check-up turned into a comprehensive preventive health evaluation, utilising a series of evidence-based assessments to gain a full picture of her overall health and wellbeing.

Let’s delve deeper into what this could have looked like for Kirabo.

The Importance of a Comprehensive Wellness Assessment:

Wellness assessments go beyond treating symptoms, but aim to uncover the underlying causes of health issues. A clinician's thorough examination involves understanding your entire health profile, i.e. physical, mental, and emotional dimensions of life. Studies suggest that regular, detailed wellness assessments significantly reduce the risk of chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, mental health disorders and even cancers.

For instance, a study published in The Journal of Preventive Medicine found that patients engaging in regular, in-depth assessments had a 30% lower rate of hospital readmissions and a 25% reduced risk of developing chronic diseases compared to those who received only basic check-ups.

But what exactly does a comprehensive wellness assessment involve?

What to Expect at Your Next Wellness Assessment:

Here is a clinical breakdown of the key components of a thorough wellness assessment and what tests or steps you can expect:

1.???? Initial Consultation and Medical History Review: This step goes beyond a simple review of your current symptoms. Your clinician will delve into your complete medical history, family medical history, lifestyle habits, and emotional well-being. Be ready to discuss stress levels, sleep patterns, diet, and exercise. Expect questions related to your mental health, such as whether you’ve experienced mood changes or anxiety, as well as your daily energy levels, how you refuel your energies, as well as any specific (guided) chronic symptoms you've noticed.

2.???? Comprehensive Physical Examination: Vital Signs: Blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and respiratory rate will be measured as standard practice, as done with any other doctor’s visit. This is just the beginning. The body mass index (BMI) and weight assessment, where your clinician will calculate your BMI, measure your waist circumference, and check for potential signs of obesity, which is linked to various chronic conditions. General body and skin examination: This can be easily often overlooked, but your entire body, including the eyes, nails, palms, skin can be a window to your overall health, revealing signs of nutrient deficiencies, dehydration, or more serious chronic skin conditions. It is not enough to simply have lab tests done and that’s it. Heart and lung examination, where the clinician will assess your chest, including the heart and lung function using their hands as well as using a stethoscope - this is to detect any abnormal rhythms or breathing patterns. This can provide early clues about cardiovascular health or respiratory issues. The Abdominal examination is a thorough assessment of your abdomen and can help identify problems related to digestion, liver function, or abdominal organ abnormalities. Brain function is done through particular assessments of the brain and spine function involving a central nervous system examination.

3.???? Laboratory Tests: To get a more complete picture of your internal health, a series of tests may be ordered. These may include, but are not limited to: Complete Blood Count (CBC), checks for anemia, infections, and other blood disorders. Lipid profile is a comprehensive cholesterol test to assess your risk for heart disease by measuring LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. Blood glucose test helps to identify or monitor diabetes by assessing your blood sugar levels, especially when fasted, as well as the HbA1c – a measure of your glucose control by the pancreas. Thyroid function test (TFT): Given how common thyroid issues are, this test evaluates how well your thyroid is functioning, particularly if you’ve been feeling fatigued, poor body temperature regulation or have unexplained weight changes. Liver and kidney function tests ensure that your vital organs are functioning properly and can detect early signs of liver or kidney disease / injuries. Vitamin D and B12 Levels are often included to evaluate nutrient deficiencies that could affect your energy, bone health, and cognitive function. Blood Iron levels could be added to further specify the cause of anaemia. Urine chemistry and microscopy tests are used to assess the urine character, chemistry, composition and function. Stool assessment enables the assessment of the gut, from the stomach down to the anal opening, enabling assessment of stool character, composition and pathology. Illnesses like peptic ulcers (commonly called “ulcers”) as well as assessing risk of large intestinal cancers can be done through a simple stool test.

4.???? Mental and Emotional Wellness Assessment: It is usually a surprise to people to learn that emotional and mental health play a significant role in overall wellbeing. Your clinician may conduct brief screening tools to evaluate your mental health, assessing mood, cognitive function and behaviour. For many, this part of the assessment reveals underlying stress or anxiety that might be actually contributing to their physical health. Evidence shows that chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, sugar surges leading to insulin resistance and later diabetes, poor immune function, and fatigue, as discussed in a previous edition of this newsletter .

5.???? Preventive Screenings: Depending on your age, gender, and risk factors, preventive screenings such as ultrasounds, mammograms, pap smears, or colonoscopy may be recommended. For men, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests are often conducted to screen for prostate health. Bone Density Test for older adults to assess for osteoporosis or fractures, is recommended in the wellness assessment. Cardiac Risk Assessment for those with a family history of heart disease, where additional tests like an ECG (electrocardiogram) for heart function, as well as stress test may be performed. Body part imaging: using ultrasound scans to visualise internal organs and assess the anatomy an how it could have changed from normal, such as the breast, abdominal organs (liver, pancreas, kidneys, gut) and pelvic organs (uterus, ovaries, cervix)?

6.???? Tailored Wellness Plan: Based on your examination and test results, your clinician will develop a personalised care plan. This may involve lifestyle recommendations, mental health strategies, dietary adjustments, exercise plans, or medication if needed. The goal for management in a wellness consultation, is to address the root causes, not just manage symptoms. Expect detailed advice on managing stress and improving your sleep, as well as techniques to support emotional resilience, which plays a vital role in long-term wellness.

This is it: as you consider your next wellness assessment, ask yourself: “How can we work together to make every visit count toward a longer, healthier future?”

Taking control of your wellness through regular assessments isn’t just a good habit; it’s a life-saving strategy. Studies have shown that individuals who engage in routine wellness check-ups reduce their risk of serious health issues by as much as 20% and can increase their life expectancy by up to 10 years. By investing time in understanding your health metrics and addressing potential risks early, you’re not only boosting your quality of life but actively reducing your likelihood of severe illness or early death.

This shows a picture of what Kirabo encountered on what she thought was a simple routine visit. If her story resonates with you, it might be time for a more comprehensive look at your health and the start of a new, focused approach to living. Allow your physician to help you design a personalised wellness plan, because true health isn’t just about the absence of illness; it’s about feeling your best every day. You are being empowered to own your health.

This is a disclaimer: The information shared in these series is not intended for treatment purposes but to empower you with the knowledge and tools to take control of your health.

For more accountability and support through health, health-literacy and healthy living, you are welcome to join our new community at Redefining Health Community.

Sources:

1.???? Jurado, J., Ybarra, J., Solanas, P., & Caula, J. (2009). Prevalence of cardiovascular disease and risk factors in a type 2 diabetic population of the North Catalonia diabetes study. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 21(3), 140-148.

2.???? Uganda Ministry of Health. (2022). Uganda Clinical Guidelines 2022: National Guidelines for Management of Common Conditions. The Ugandan Ministry of Health provides guidelines on preventive health practices, including wellness check-ups, maternal health screenings, and managing chronic diseases. These guidelines highlight the importance of regular health check-ups for preventing illnesses and promoting overall well-being.

3.???? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): CDC has extensive information on how regular health check-ups can lower your risk of illness and help you live longer. They highlight the advantages of routine screenings and overall health assessments.

4.???? World Health Organization (WHO): Provides a global view on preventive health and the significance of taking a proactive approach to healthcare. Their reports often emphasise the importance of regular health check-ups in early disease detection and prevention.

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