Healthy Aging with Preventative Care at the Wright Center
The key to healthy aging is through preventative care. At the Wright Center, we assess your full health with a comprehensive Complete Health Assessment. Our Complete Health Assessment (CHA) is very thorough, with blood work, an ANS and Max Pulse Test, Diagnostic Ultrasounds done, and more. You’ll also meet with our providers to discuss your test results and standard screenings recommended for your age.
What is Included in My Lab Work?
The first part of your Complete Health Assessment will include your routine blood work. Once the tests are sent to the lab, we’ll also check your hormones as well. Aside from the usual tests we run, you can request any additional tests at the time of scheduling your appointment. The blood tests you’ll be receiving are:
CBC
Ferritin
CMP
Lipid Panel
Vitamin D
TSH
Free T3
Total T4
TPO
Vitamin B12
FSH
Estradiol
LH
Hemoglobin a1C
Testosterone
ANS & Max Pulse Test
Another component of the CHA exam is an Autonomic Nervous System or ANS test. This test will evaluate your nervous system which controls your involuntary bodily functions including, appetite, mood, blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, bladder function, sexual function, and more. Any damage to the Autonomic Nervous System can cause problems to the previously listed functions, and ultimately cause problems for the rest of your body.
In addition to the Autonomic Nervous System test, we’ll also be testing the Endothelial Function to ensure there are no damages to the endothelial lining or Endothelial Dysfunction to make sure you’re not at risk for diabetes, strokes, or heart disease.
When we perform an ANS and Endothelial Function Test, we’re essentially looking for any of the following risk factors:
Autonomic Nervous System dysfunction: Involuntary functions
Sudomotor Dysfunction: Sweat Gland function
Endothelial Dysfunction: Risk of heart attack and stroke
Insulin Resistance: Risk of developing diabetes
Cardiometabolic Risk: Risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders such as metabolic syndrome
Small Fiber Neuropathy: Can start as numbness and tingling in the hand and feet
Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy: The nerves that innervate the heart
Cardiovascular disease via plethysmography: Combined total of the other risk factors
The ANS test and Endothelial Function Test is designed to help prevent any issues your body may be having or could have in the future. By having these tests done yearly, you could be saving yourself a lot of time and prevent health issues in the future.
Before your appointment begins, we’ll perform both external and internal ultrasounds to rule out any abnormalities, including Fibroids, Ovarian Cysts, Polyps, etc. These ultrasounds will give us (and you) a better understanding of what’s going on with your body and what we need to watch out for. We do recommend drinking at least 32 ounces of water 1 hour before your ultrasound. The Sonographer will be able to view the pelvic organs better when you have a full bladder.
Your Provider Visit
After your CHA is completed, we will sit down with you to review your results, complete an exam, and identify any areas of concern. As you age, it is important to keep up-to-date with standard screenings, including annual exams, pap smears, STD screenings, mammograms, colonoscopies and bone density scans. Your provider will discuss your risk factors in detail and decide on a treatment plan that best meets your needs.
We cannot stress enough how important it is to schedule your yearly Complete Health Assessment and a preventative annual exam. Schedule your appointment today to be proactive in your aging health!