T.I.D. 'S DEFINITION (ON PRESCRIPTION)

t.i.d. (three times a day): When written on a prescription, t.i.d. stands for three times a day. It's an acronym for "ter in die," which means "three times a day" in Latin. The abbreviation t.i.d. is commonly written in lower-case letters as "tid" or in capital letters as "TID" without a period. It is one of a variety of sacred abbreviations of Latin phrases that have traditionally been used in prescriptions to express the frequency with which medications should be taken, regardless of how it is spelled.

Other examples include:

q.d. (qd or QD) is once a day; q.d. stands for "quaque die" (which means, in Latin, once a day).

b.i.d. (or bid or BID) is two times a day ; b.i.d. stands for "bis in die" (in Latin, twice a day).

q.i.d. (or qid or QID) is four times a day; q.i.d. stands for "quater in die" (in Latin, 4 times a day).

q_h: If a medicine is to be taken every so-many hours, it is written "q_h"; the "q" standing for "quaque" and the "h" indicating the number of hours. So, for example, "2 caps q4h" means "Take 2 capsules every 4 hours."

WHY DOES YOUR DOCTOR DO THAT? PHYSICAL EXAMINATION: WHY DOES YOUR DOCTOR DO THAT?

EACH YEAR, GIVE YOU AN EXAM

Although you may not look forward to your annual doctor's appointment, it is an important aspect of your overall health. Your doctor is aware of this and uses that time to check for any symptoms or signs of a health condition, catching them early enough to intervene.

Annual physical examinations can detect excessive blood pressure, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, and high cholesterol. They're also helpful for remembering your vaccine regimen. The most crucial function of a yearly doctor's appointment, however, is to screen for a range of malignancies, many of which are easier to treat—and have better survival odds—if caught early.

PUSH DOWN ON YOUR TUMMY

The health of your abdomen is crucial. Your liver, stomach, intestines, and other essential organs are all housed here. As a result, your doctor will prod you a little, testing to ensure that everything is in good working order. This is to ensure that nothing is excessively tender, large, or firm.

ARE YOU IN NEED OF A SPECIALIST'S HELP?

The health-care plan influences many people's decision to consult a medical professional.

The health-care plan influences many people's decision to consult a medical professional. Patients in HMOs must initially consult a primary care physician, who may refer them to a specialist if necessary. PPO health plans, on the other hand, do not require a referral and allow patients to select their own medical professional.

ARE YOU IN NEED OF A FAMILY DOCTOR, INTERNIST, OR GENERAL PRACTITIONER?

The majority of people seek medical advice from their primary care physician first. There are three types of primary care doctors:

Doctor of Family Medicine

People of all ages and genders are treated by family physicians. Children, women, and the elderly are frequently treated by them.

Internist

Internists are doctors who specialise in treating adults and work in clinics and hospitals. All of the body's major organ systems are looked after by them.

a medical professional (MD)

Patients are routinely examined by general practitioners to assess if they may be handled without referring them to a specialist. Patients of all ages and genders visit general practitioners.

Heart: A doctor can tell if you have a heart murmur by listening to your heartbeat carefully. A heart murmur is another term for an unusual whooshing or swishing sound in your heart. The majority of murmurs are harmless, but some can signal concerns including fever, anaemia, high blood pressure, or an overactive thyroid. Murmurs can potentially suggest a range of heart valve issues. If the heart isn't beating normally, the stethoscope can alert the doctor right away.

Lungs A stethoscope can help your doctor discover crackles, rales (sounds like rattling or crumpling cellophane), or no sounds in the lungs where they should be. The different noises can assist your doctor in detecting and/or diagnosing lung diseases.

Neck

Your doctor can check for carotid narrowing by listening to the sides of your neck with a stethoscope for a carotid bruit, which is an abnormal swooshing sound in the carotid artery.

WRAP THAT CUFF AROUND YOUR ARM AND SQUEEZE IT.

When your doctor asks you to cough, it signifies your hernia is being checked. Coughing tightens your stomach muscles, and if you have an inguinal hernia, you may see that a portion of your intestines or abdominal fat bulges through the lower abdomen. By laying a touch on your scrotum while coughing, your doctor can detect this.

This syndrome can occur at birth or as a result of exertion, such as when lifting a big object. It can be painful and inconvenient on its own, but it can also lead to more serious issues. Your doctor would most likely advise you to have surgery, which is the only effective treatment for this problem.

That explains why you're coughing. But why are you turning your head? That's really all there is to it. Your doctor despises being coughed on!

TAKE NOTE OF YOUR HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

Your doctor can calculate your BMI by keeping track of your height and weight (BMI). This is a measurement of total body fat that can tell your doctor if you have a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, gallstones, type 2 diabetes, and other illnesses.

This is also a wonderful technique to keep track of your weight over time. Your doctor can tell if you're losing or gaining weight, and can offer beneficial medical advice in any case.

BLOOD DRAWING

Blood testing can detect high cholesterol and kidney disease, among other issues.

Your doctor can calculate your BMI by keeping track of your height and weight (BMI). This is a measurement of total body fat that can tell your doctor if you have a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, gallstones, type 2 diabetes, and other illnesses.

This is also a wonderful technique to keep track of your weight over time. Your doctor can tell if you're losing or gaining weight, and can offer beneficial medical advice in any case.

BLOOD DRAWING

When we're unwell, our bodies don't always display a lot of signs. Blood can reveal information that isn't readily apparent from other sources. Bloodwork can reveal symptoms of liver illness, thyroid disease, and renal disease, as well as high cholesterol and other medical issues.

It's never easy to find that your body isn't working properly, but blood tests can detect problems early on, saving you from much more significant health problems down the road. Early detection of what ails you can save you money in the long run.

DON'T FORGET TO APPLY YOUR KNEECAP

You've most likely seen your doctor use that strange triangular rubber hammer before. And you already know what happens next: a forceful touch below the kneecap, followed by your leg jerking up. However, this is not always the case. This reflex test may reveal an issue with your reflexes that is anchored in your nerves. The nerves that control your legs go through your lower back, and compression can stifle or inhibit your reflexes. Even though your doctor isn't touching your back when tapping that tendon, this exercise could reveal a lower back problem. This test can also detect thyroid issues, as delayed relaxation after testing is observed in roughly 75% of hypothyroidism patients.

TAKE A STEP BACK

You might be perplexed as to why your doctor thumps your back like a ripe melon. The tapping action is referred to as "percussion." Your lungs, like a drum, have air that carries sound. This sound can alert your doctor to the presence of liquid in your lungs, which can occur while you're unwell. Either emphysema, heart failure, or cancer can cause fluid in the lungs.

MONITOR YOUR HEART RATE

Your heart rate can tell you a lot about your health. And keeping track of it over time can help your doctor predict potential issues.

60 to 100 beats per minute is a normal resting heart rate (BPM). This depends on a number of factors, including how much caffeine you've consumed recently, how busy you've been in the last two hours, and whether you're anxious or stressed.

A low resting heart rate usually indicates high physical fitness. However, this isn't always the case. A heart rate that is at or below the extremely low end of the range may indicate a problem with the way your heart transmits electrical information. This is especially likely if you're also experiencing weariness and dizziness.

You may be at a higher risk of heart disease if your heartbeat is consistently at or above the upper end of this range. It could even indicate that you're more likely to die at a younger age than the general population. All of those heartbeats start to add up. Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level, as well as exercising, can assist lower your resting heart rate.

'UP THERE,' SLIDE A FINGER

Yes, this one is a tad strange. You undoubtedly fear the doctor digitally probing you. However, undergoing a digital rectal examination (DRE) is a minor concern compared to acquiring colorectal cancer, which this test can detect.

Early detection of colorectal cancer has a significant impact on the prognosis. Colorectal cancer patients have a 90 percent five-year survival rate if the disease is discovered at or before the "local" stage, when it is localised to one colon or rectal wall. For a thorough screening, other tests should be utilised, however the DRE is an important and relatively simple approach to test for this.

The DRE, on the other hand, isn't just for detecting colorectal cancer. This test can reveal abnormalities in the uterus and ovaries, as well as other malignancies, in women. This technique is beneficial to men since it ensures prostate health and can detect some prostate malignancies.

TAKE SAMPLES OF URINE

An annual physical examination includes peeing in a cup as part of the procedure. Urine can indicate a lot about your body, as your doctor knows. Everything from the colour to the odour of your urine can reveal information about your health, but lab results on the chemical composition of your urine can reveal far more.

You may be dehydrated if your urine is particularly black. It could be an indication of a urinary tract infection if it's flaky or hazy. Protein in the urine, on the other hand, can indicate renal irritation. If ketones are detected in the urine, diabetics may be alerted to elevated blood pressure. Bacterial infection can be detected by nitrite and white blood cells (leukocytes). This test can also detect problems with the bladder and kidney stones.