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Brett and Kate McKay
8. Listening to your ticker. The doctor will use his stethoscope to listen
to your heart and look for any abnormal sounds that might indicate
an enlarged heart or a defect with your heart valves. He’ll also listen to
your lungs and check for any wheezing, crackling, or gurgling sounds.
9. Pushing your gut. You’ll be asked to lie down so the doctor can press
down on different parts of your abdomen. He’ll ask you if you feel any
tenderness as he presses down in different areas. He’s looking for any
possible fluid accumulation or abnormal masses. The doctor is also
looking to see if your spleen and liver are in the right place.
10. You got nerve, man. The doctor will check your nervous system by
basically having you do the sobriety test that police officers use. He’ll
ask that you walk in a straight line, close your eyes, touch your nose
with both fingers, etc. You’ll also test your reflexes with that little
reflex hammer. While you’re up, the doctor might also have you bend
down and touch your toes to 1) check your flexibility and 2) check
your spine.
11. Checking the boys. If you’re under the age of 40, your doctor will
give you a testicular exam. He’ll also probably ask you to turn your
head and cough while he holds onto your balls to check to see if you
have a hernia.
12. Let go of your decency…. if you’re over 40, the doctor will likely
check your prostate for signs of prostate cancer. The doctor will place
his fingers inside your rectum and check your prostate for tumors.
While he’s up there, the doc will also check for signs of rectum cancer.
13. Checking your bodily fluids. When you’re done in the examining
room, you’ll put your clothes back on, and be sent to the lab where
they’ll take all sorts of liquid from your body. Blood will be taken to
test your cholesterol, your blood cell count, and your glucose level. A
man’s urine can tell a lot about his health, so you’ll also be asked to
pee in a cup.
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