Physical Health
Meaning of physical health
What is Physical Health:
Physical health consists of the well-being of the body and the optimal functioning of the organism of individuals, that is, it is a general condition of people who are in good physical, mental, emotional condition and who do not suffer from any type of disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as that state of well-being that goes beyond not suffering from diseases and that also includes physical, mental and social well-being.
When people are in optimal physical health conditions they can perform various activities, promote well-being and continue developing or cultivating skills for their general health.
Physical health also refers to analyzes or studies related to food and nutrition, diseases or conditions that may pre-exist and those that can be prevented, the physical activity to be performed, and even refers to education about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
When an individual is in good physical health, her body is solid and devoid of disease, therefore her mental and emotional health are also in good condition.
However, physical health can be affected in different ways depending on the lifestyle of each individual, the environment where you live or work, depending on your genetics and even depends on the medical advice you receive.
There are many cases in which, although people try to lead a healthy life, in one way or another they do not achieve it and this can be largely related to the environment where they live and, on the other hand, to diseases or conditions inherited through the family.
How to maintain physical health
Maintaining a stable physical health is part of the responsibilities that each person has with themselves and can be achieved easily and through perseverance.
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet.
- Maintaining body hygiene should be a daily activity.
- Sleep the number of hours recommended by doctors.
- Have time to exercise, at least three times a week.
- Schedule medical appointments regularly in order to perform general check-ups and avoid or detect possible diseases.
- Having a harmonious lifestyle, that is, not being carried away by the impulses of discomfort, worries or anguish, before acting impulsively, you must find mental and sentimental balance.
Mental and emotional health
Physical health is related to the mental and emotional states of each individual. For this reason, it is often said that body and mind are related. By having physical health in good condition, you will also obtain healthy mental and emotional health and vice versa.
Mental and emotional health lies in the balance that a person has with the environment that surrounds him, his interpersonal relationships, communicative and expressive abilities, the methods applied to solve problems, among others.
Mental and emotional health must be in harmony with physical health, because to a large extent the fact that a person feels good and shows it is synonymous with that they are aware that they are in good condition, and in case of coping with any illness or health problem, having positive thoughts and being optimistic helps your physical condition in an incredible way.
Creativity, spontaneity, discipline, self-esteem and personal security depend on a percentage of the mental and emotional state of each individual. While the mental and emotional state of the person is stable and balanced, the better will be the performance of it in the activities of daily life.
Social health refers to the ability of individuals to live in accordance with their physical and mental health. That is, social health indicates how people can satisfy their physical and psychological needs through the circumstances on which each individual acts.
On the other hand, through social health it is possible to know what the relationship of people with their environment is like and how they carry out their daily activities, which can function as an indicator of the general well-being of people and even of societies.
What is Physical examination:
The physical examination is the procedure applied by a doctor in consultation to determine if the patient has any health problem. This procedure is also known as a “physical exam.”
Medical consultations usually have a protocol. First, the doctor must conduct an interview with the patient. This will provide information about your symptoms and personal and family medical history. In addition, the doctor will evaluate the level of collaboration, the state of consciousness, the attitude, the hydration and the state of nutrition of the patient.
After the interview, the doctor will proceed with the physical examination. In this process, the doctor will evaluate the vital signs, such as fever, blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, and heart rate, among others.
Physical examination stages
During the physical examination, the attending physician applies five basic techniques in order to confirm the symptoms and formulate a diagnosis. These techniques are:
1. Visual inspection, which allows the doctor to verify if there is any visible physical damage, such as the appearance of the eyeballs, appearance of the skin, injuries, deviations or deformations, etc.
2. Palpation, which allows us to verify the body state by touch. The doctor looks for lumps, areas of tension, stiffness, and other items.
3. Auscultation, which consists of listening to bodily sounds, such as heartbeats and breathing patterns.
4. Percussion, a process in which the doctor will hit some parts of the body with his hands in search of unusual sounds. For example, percuss the abdominal area for intestinal obstructions.
5. Olfaction, which consists of looking for unusual odors that may reveal infectious processes.
Physicians may also use complementary instruments and techniques. For example, hammers to measure reflexes, light sources to observe nasal or auditory cavities, densitometers to measure blood pressure, etc.
Once the physical examination is finished, the doctor will make a record of all the information obtained, both in the interview and in the examination. This record is known as the medical history.
Once the diagnosis is made, the doctor will assign a treatment in a medical prescription or recipe, where he can recommend medications and diet and exercise routines. In the event that the physical examination is not sufficient, the doctor may request additional tests.