Undressing No Longer Part of Physical?

Over the past five years, I’ve seen four different female doctors and a nurse practitioner for annual physical exams. In none of these exams have I been asked to remove any clothing or undress at all, and there’s really been no physical examination of any kind.

I know when I was younger, doctors generally asked to undress to underwear, wear a gown, etc, and there was always a hernia / genital exam. Is this no longer done in adult male physical exams, or have I just been going to the wrong doctors/offices? Is there something I need to look/ask for to receive a more thorough physical? I don’t want to fabricate an issue or do anything unethical , but would like the experience that most of with a medical fetish are seeking in a thorough exam.

My doctor of 30 years used to have me naked. When I walked in it was “take ‘em off, all of them” and I was naked for about 30 minutes while he checked everything. He retired on 12-31-13. Since then I haven’t even taken my shirt off. My new doc checks me through my shirt and her nurse/assistant checks BP through my shirt sleeve. I mentioned to her once that it didn't even feel like a physical and she said she liked the idea of having her patients undressed and was going to do that. The next time in her assistant offered me a gown and I said “what's the point if I'm going to be naked anyway, just to make more laundry?” I sat there naked until the doctor came in and she put the gown on me. It did fall off during the exam though. It's never been like that again, always dressed since then. I think it has to do with the time allotted by the agency that pays. I read in the paper last week that they are allowed to spend 10 minutes with each patient now.

At the VA I had a ARNP. She never had me naked either except for one time when she had a trainee there. She had her give me a very thorough check including the DRE which took quite a while to get it right.

My older doctor that retired always had you naked once the nurse took your BP. The last year before he retired you just got a large napkin looking thing for your privates.

My 3 Dr's since I think are afraid of nudity and I have not had a full exam in 5 years. I even thought I felt a lump on my ball and my Dr didn't want to check it she just referred me to a urologist.

My dermatologist gives you a similar napkin but unless you tell her you have a spot on your privates she skips looking. BTW I am always dripping precum for her as well.

The most recent physicals I have had, have not involved any undressing and certainly no mention or request to check the genitals.

Unless I have a specific genital related complaint I’m usually not asked to undress. Even then it’s just lower jeans and underwear and not remove everything. Last year I did have a dermatologist resident give me a gown and tell me he was going to step out for me to remove all my clothes, but I ended up leaving my underwear on because it was my first time seeing him. Had I seen him before I probably would have removed them. I‘ve slightly regretted not just removing them for the experience but it’s too late to change that haha

My PCP never has me remove any clothing though. Just a lot of bloodwork and talking. Sounds like removing clothes being the standard when seeing a doctor is something that ended in the 90’s or early 2000’s.

My wife and I have the same family doctor. He's a male. Sometimes we go to appointments together, for example, when both of us catch the flu. And what is common for an examination. When the doctor examines me, I only pull my shirt up from behind. When he examines my wife, he asks her to undress to the waist, including her bra. He says that the features of a woman's body require a more thorough examination.

When he examines my wife, he asks her to undress to the waist, including her bra. He says that the features of a woman's body require a more thorough examination.

@Foma Interesting. He checks your lungs from your back but your wife must be undressed to the waist. Wonder what woman's “features” he is interested in and why they need a more thorough exam?

I've found that undressing is very situational now. I think it's partly due to the increasing use of specialists. I see my GP yearly. He does a basic exam, records ENT, Heart, Lungs, weight BP, asks me about exercise and general health questions. The only time I have to do any undressing for him is if I'm having an EKG and then it's shirt off. If I'm wearing a sports bra I can usually keep that on, if it's an underwire it comes off.

I see a GYN. For her it's ‘everything off, put the gown on’. She does boobs and bits.

I see a Dermatologist. For him it's everything off to underpants, gown on. He'll pull them out slightly while checking my back to see the top of my butt. In the past I've had to be fully naked for this exam but my current Dermatologist doesn't require it and I know I'm getting a visual exam by my GYN so I don't worry about that.

Orthopedic is location specific/procedure specific. I've had to undress to underwear with gown when I was being seen for a hip issue and for an initial spinal assessment but never panties and bra off.

Today Time is money. And it depends if the PCP is going to refer you to a specialist. But there are some things that still need to be seen.

Years ago I had a female friend. She had a large hemorrhoid that finally got to the point she had to have it taken care of. When she asked for a referral her PCP said I need to see it first. So he said just lower your pants and pull your underwear down and bend over. She did this and then he says spread your cheeks. PCP say “oh yea that's a big Hemorrhoid!!!!!!!!” She pulled up her pants and panties and got a referral.

The medical field is changing every day. Stay healthy!!!!!!! And know what you have or do not have.

I'm never asked to gown up anymore, it's all done through clothing now. Kind of disappointing to be honest.

My older doctor that retired always had you naked once the nurse took your BP. The last year before he retired you just got a large napkin looking thing for your privates.

That just seems so silly and Victorian. Though I suppose Victorians would have been utterly shocked by a napkin only … ha ha.

I have not had to undress for physical at any doctors for several years. I even had several different doctors, during those years. They must be trained differently now then they used to be. When younger always had to get naked. This lasted even some in twenties. Late twenties and thirties never had clothes removed. I’m 42 still no clothes removed for yearly physical.

Today Time is money. And it depends if the PCP is going to refer you to a specialist. But there are some things that still need to be seen.

It's interesting that some specialists do require a referral in order to be seen. My Medicare and Supplemental do not require referrals in order to be covered financially. I had a couple of moles that appeared to be getting ready for fall harvest, and my PCP wanted to see me first. She said they didn't look abnormal, but if I wanted she'd send me to a dermatologist. The advantage of getting a referral (as I was led to believe) is that you can get an appointment sooner than if you call in on your own. Our dermatologist schedules out close to six months in advance.

My GP doesn't ask me to remove anything. He'll listen to heart and lungs over a t-shirt. Same for the 5 seconds he spends poking my stomach.

He has me lower my shorts and underwear and face him for the too-quick hernia exam and then turn around and place my elbows on the table for the too-quick prostate check.

I spend way more time talking to his nurse, answering stupid questions about suicide, job satisfaction, sexual identification, depression, etc.

It's interesting that some specialists do require a referral in order to be seen. My Medicare and Supplemental do not require referrals in order to be covered financially.

During my recent visit to a dermatologist, there was a sign that said if your insurance is United Health Care, you would need a referral.

The only time I have to do any undressing for him is if I'm having an EKG and then it's shirt off. If I'm wearing a sports bra I can usually keep that on, if it's an underwire it comes off.

@Nurse_Phillips Knowing that, does that tend to make you want to wear one or the other ?

During my recent visit to a dermatologist, there was a sign that said if your insurance is United Health Care, you would need a referral.

Geez, how many of us old bassards with AARP don't have UH? I went to a different derm last summer and they didn't ask for a referral, all I paid was the copay. She didn't look at everything either. Nothing below the belt line except the sore inside my foreskin which I mentioned on the intake paperwork.

@Nurse_Phillips Knowing that, does that tend to make you want to wear one or the other ?

I’m going to disappoint you with my answer: I usually opt for the sports bra.

@Nurse_Phillips Sports bras are nice, I like them. They look comfortable.

I’ve had a series of physicals in the last 4-5 years one for work, not even a request to take my shirt off, or even my watch. All done fully clothed. No direct contact, stethed on the outside of my shirt. not even sure what the value of my last physical was. No history, nothing. However I am sure the bill was huge.

Pre Covid, I would still be asked to undress down to my underpants and would be given a complete physical, including a DRE. The last physical I got (2021) I was told to remove my shirt, but I could keep my pants on. It was summer so I was wearing shorts that covered just about as much as a pair of boxers. I got almost a complete physical as I never had to drop my pants and was specifically told they were deferring the rectal exam as I also had a colonoscopy scheduled and was told the GI guy would do a DRE while he was “in the neighborhood."

Overall, I think doctors are so busy that they are doing anything and everything to speed up the process and I have definitely seen physical exams getting shorter and less thorough. It makes me wonder what the point of a physical exam is if they are only going to react to any concerns you bring up. I didn't bother scheduling a physical for 2022, but see my doctor when i have concerns. I seem to get as much a look over when I have a complaint as I do for a physical. So I am not bothering with physicals anymore and just spend my time on specific concerns.

I seem to get as much a look over when I have a complaint as I do for a physical. So I am not bothering with physicals anymore and just spend my time on specific concerns.

That is in general how most people in Belgium seem to look at medical issues. We really don't do regular scheduled annual exams unless one is already being treated for something, say a follow-up to an operation or something oncological or with long term consequences.

Otherwise I just go to a doctor if I feel something is wrong or when ill. No yearly general exams.

This approach seems to work well enough in general terms of overall population health. It also leaves time for doctors to treat those who are ill with more diligence.

I’m going to disappoint you with my answer: I usually opt for the sports bra.

@Nurse_Phillips Sports bras are nice, I like them. They look comfortable.

@roscoe,

Sports bras are extremely comfortable, especially for the well endowed! They give excellent support! They are also easy on, easy off, they wear very well.

The insurance companies and the government in the U.S. have too much power over doctors and that's reflected in the ultra-quick doctor visits of today. It all started to happen in the 1990s and has gotten worse and worse each year. The micromanagement these entities put on doctors is ridiculous and every year, as a result, there are less and less doctors.

I used to absolutely hate physicals, until I switched my doctor, around 8 years ago. No more stripping, or nasty butt pokes. Now, it’s just a few questions, vital signs, and occasional bloodwork. I don’t arrive for my appointment, all stressed out. It’s very possible that it depends on the individual medical practice, or doctor.

I’m going to disappoint you with my answer: I usually opt for the sports bra.

Well in the real world sense I love it when one of my real patients has a sports bra on makes things so much better for doing things like eggs and abdominal assessments while giving more privacy to the patient

I haven't had to undress in many years. The urologist does have me drop pants for all of 2 minutes. I have a physical scheduled for Friday. Would be fantastic if he had me undress but not counting on it. Would be even better if he undressed. Lol

@JJM I agree with you. Old fashioned physicals are a relic from the last century, before more was learned about our physiology. Plus there is the continuing development of better scans and lab tests.

Of my last maybe eight or so physicals, I've kept underwear on for all except one, and unless they decided to monitor something covered by the underwear that I'm dealing with, the underpants stayed on. At the dermatologist appointment to look at the issue, however, I was asked to strip completely, and cover myself with a gown that opened in the front.

It's all about making sure the patient is comfortable, really, combined with the fact that the expected way of going about things is to complain about an issue and get referred to a specialist who can actually do something about it.

Answer the questionnaire, hand it to the nurse, get vitals taken (shoes off for height and weight), talk to doc about how meds are working, stethoscope over clothes (sometimes up the back of the shirt), lie down and get stomach felt with the doc reaching under the shirt.

Reflexes can be done over pants but I haven't had that done since, like, childhood. Obviously you don't need to get undressed to have a doctor look in your ears and mouth, either.

There's a whole thing about not wanting patients to be uncomfortable or feel vulnerable, that's how you get people dying because they don't like the doctor and don't get help (combined with that whole “health insurance” bs, of course).

And it's starting to be suspected that thorough yearly physicals are just a waste of time. There was also an article that talked about running too many tests found too many things they couldn't just leave alone, sending a patient through months (or years with how far out I have to schedule some appointments) of appointments and thousands of dollars to treat an “issue” that wasn't causing problems that they didn't come in for.

I did get all the way undressed (socks on even if the floors seem clean) for an x-ray the other month though and had to take my pants off (socks and underwear on) for a knee x-ray. Haven't had an obgyn appointment in many years though (no reason to, not sexually active, no personal concerns with my health) but I think I had to strip and put a gown on for that, too.

There's plenty of reasons to be told to completely strip, but you're unlikely to be without a gown (local system got fancy new cloth gowns a couple years back to replace the weird itchy fabric ones), and it's very unlikely you'll be undressed for a yearly checkup unless your doc notices your chart & says you're a few years overdue for a pap smear and might as well do it while you're there.

Okay rambling for the night done.