Degree of undressing for a physical exam

Back from the 1960's to the 1970's, perhaps even the 1980's, it was standard practice for the nurse or doctor to take a male patient into the exam room and at some point ask him to take off everything except his (shorts, underwear, ___). The standard for the physical exam was 'head to toe,' and the patient was prepared for that encounter. That changed as time went on. Gowns appeared and I could connect a doctor with which hospital/university system had trained him in Manhattan. Saint Vincents supplied gowns. NYU had patients strip down to underwear. Moving from Manhattan to Massachusetts and now Maine, gowns go over underwear during a pre-employment/occupational physical (which involves certain range-of-motion tests) but a patient who is there for his annual physical is examined fully dressed, at best being asked to take off a shirt or shirt and shoes. I wonder what others have found to be true. Is this an Eastern U.S. thing? If you have been going to the same doctor for a long time, have you seen such adjustments? Is it true, as I suspect, the younger/newer the doctor is, reflecting changes in training? Is it simply a reflection that what happens during a standard physical exam has been curtailed? Indications of location, age, etc. would help to see if there are patterns.

Wrestler, I've observed the same thing. I think the root cause is that there is a perception on the doctor's part that people want or demand more modesty. I think as a U.S. culture, we're becoming more modest, and that's not necessarily a good thing. For additional examples outside of a medical scenario, just look at the length of basketball shorts over the years, the lack of showering after P.E. class in school, etc.

But my solution to the problem is a simple one. When told to get undressed (to whatever degree) and put on a gown, I simply ignore the request. I figure I am the ultimate consumer of the medical service, and I'll decide what makes me most comfortable. So if I'm there for a complete physical, I'll strip completely and wait on the exam table with just a paper drape. I won't bother with the gown because I simply detest gowns. I want my doctor (or nurse practictioner) to actually examine me (not just because it's fun, but because I'm there for them to actually access my health and look for potential problems).

In the past, I've had a few comments about the lack of a gown, but I just tell them that being covered up in a gown makes me more nervous and apprehensive and that I prefer to just get the undressing part of the exam over with immediately. I've had no complaints with this approach.

Jimmy, since we are the same age, it is not surprising perhaps that we have seen the same pattern and take the same approach.

Just by reading some of the posts on this web page, it seems that doctors are paying a bit more attention to their patients' modesty. It's been years since I've had a full physical, but I remember the ones growing up as a kid in California, I was just in my shorts. No pants, no gown, no sheet--just my shorts.

I have pretty consistently been told to go down to my shorts. This is by many different doctors. I have had one occasion where I was told to get down to my shorts and put a gown over them. I think stripped to the shorts is the best--most embarrassing. I personally get the most fulfilling exam, which for me is maximized embarrassment, by commencing the exam with briefs only. That is why I strategically dress for an exam with no socks, undershirt, or jewelry on. That way if I am told to strip to my shorts, all I have left is tighty whities (briefs). I like a classic fitting brief, as opposed to bikini style, which have too much of a sexual suggestiveness. I also like briefs that have a bit of a skimpy fit and thin fabric which show the profile of the genitalia.

Thanks Exam Doc. In my case, since I, too, have been told to 'take off everything' and put a gown on only to then have added 'you can keep your underwear on,' I strip down to tighty whities as well and put the gown back in the drawer. It was interesting when I went to a chain medical office that the doctor doing the exam told me that it was 'all right' or something to that effect that I was sitting on the exam table in just my briefs as opposed to the gown. You would think that with time being of the essence, the faster he can check out a patient (and his exam did fly by) the better he can keep on schedule with the office requirements but that would also expose him to more of the patients' bodies to examine.

When I was a kid, I was always told to strip to my underpants only, which were white briefs. As an adult, I have been told to strip completely and put on an exam gown, strip to my underpants and put on a gown, or just strip to my briefs, depending on the doctor. Older male doctors are more likely to have a male patient in his underwear only. I don't see the point of wearing a gown with a same-gender doctor since he is going to see everything anyway. I wouldn't care about being in my underwear only with a female doctor for the same reason.

Always had to strip down to my briefs, except for one time I had to remove each piece of clothing as the doc instructed. Never yet had to wear a gown, except for play exams 😃

Thanks to everyone for their posts to date! The pattern which I am slowly picking up (and which you may all now shoot down) is that gowns seem to have a solid presence on the east coast but not on the west coast. Posts from guys who had physicals in the 1950's to 1980's or so were asked to take off everything except their underwear and most wore briefs. Younger guys started wearing boxers and boxer briefs, so that part changed over time. Since practices tend to reflect training, it may be that changes at medical schools on the east coast (New York, Boston, etc.) can explain why gowns are so prevalent for some of us as patients. The more posts we get, the more we know locations and age groups, the clearer all of this may end up. Again, thanks.

In my country, gones are not commonly used. Maybe at hospital, for surgery or such cases. At doctors you just undress: either step by step - the part of the body to be examined, or completely from the beginning of the exam, typically for exams such as mandatory or work physical. They dont want you to waste time undressing and getting dressed during the course of the exam. Even after a couple of times, you never get used to show your whole body naked, and it is always an embarassing experience.

Christina

Very interesting thread. I am particularly aroused by Christina's post; I enjoy the thought of a naked woman, embarrassed by being so naked.

My female doctor does the talking part of the exam while I am fully dressed, telling me once that she knows her patients feel more relaxed when they are clothed. She then leaves the room and I am left to strip down and slip on the standard gown, that was earlier placed there by the nurse that escorted me to the exam room and did a few basics; blood pressure and such. There is also a blue pad on the exam table, for me to sit on once I've been given my digital rectal exam, and my anus is greasy with lube. All in all, I find it erotic, although I do not get an erection.

I've lived in the northeast USA for many years and have experienced everything from stripping to underwear to having a physical fully clothed with the doctor groping me through the clothes. It does seem that younger doctors generally go the route of more modesty. It is usually older male doctors that don't use gowns.

I thought it was just a VA thing.

In the Navy, when being examined, it was "top-to-toe" for whatever reason you were getting an exam. Since I left active duty and have had the VA take over my medical care, they pass an "annual" physical off as vitals, HEENT, listening to the lung and heart, palpating the chest and back, and, occasionally, the abdomen. Unless you have a specific complaint, (such as hemorrhoids or discomfort in the scrotum) they usually stop at the waist. The most you actually remove is your shirt. (and sometimes, not even that.)

As I approach the big 5-0, and have had a history of protatitis and epididymitis, I expect that my exams will become more thorough.

Interesting. Gowns seem to be an American peculiarity. In Europe I always had to remove everything except underwear. If it's a mandatory exam it's typically from the beginning otherwise usually step by step. No idea how it is in Australia though.

Same here---I used to be examined in my underwear back in the 70's and 80's. Somewhere around the late 90's it changed, and now it's always in a gown.

I've actually never used a gown, but perhaps it's because I never had a young doctor.

I have been going to the same practice for years with annual exams. I usually go to the female nurse practisioner for my annuals. She tends to be more thorough than the rushed doctors.

One exam, I was asked to strip down to my shorts (usually I remove them, they have to come off anyhow) and to put on a gown. The nurse came into the room and asked if I minded if a Nurse Preactisioner in training did the exam. I said no I don't mind but I do want to be examined by someone not in training.

The nurse practisioner and the training NP came in to do my physical. Everything was done twice. I could hear them talking at different points. They had me stand for the genitalia check and once again both of them examined me. I was then asked to bend over the end of the examining table for the prostate check. Double the fun.

When I go for my physical I always hope they have someone in training. It adds an adventure to the physical.

Underwear in the 80s and 90s at the pediatrician. Since then physicals have just involved gowns or remaining mostly clothed.

I think a lot of it has to do with lawsuits for sexual harassment. During the 70's and even early to mid 80's, I never wore a gown for my physicals---it was always undress to my briefs with no gown. I was examined on my back on the exam table with my undershorts down to my calves (never had them totally off, unfortunately) while the doctor examined my testicles and penis. Or, I would be standing in front of him. Ever since the 90's, it's gown everytime.

During the 60's and early 70's I never wore a gown and was usually nude for the entire exam. Beginning in the late 70's and into the 80's I either stripped completely and wore a gown or just wore my underwear which usually came down to my ankles when standing in front of the doctor ready for the hernia check, From the 90's to present I usually stay in my underwear and sometimes even with a gown.

My GP when I was growing up in upstate NY (late 60's to 70s) always had me undress to underwear, no gowns. I wore gowns when I started seeing gyn, and now gowns over underwear are the standard for both me and my 12 year old daughter for full physicals here in NY. Hubby says he usually stays dressed at his doctor's office unless they need to examine something specific.

Growing up in the 1960's, modesty was not an issue. My trips to the pediatrician were always conducted with me naked from the minute I entered the exam room. It really didn't matter what I was there for.

Nowadays, I seldom have to undress at all. If I do have to undress it is down to underwear with a gown. I find the gown pretty useless.

Always underpants only...no gown ever. One fully clothed...it was a college entrance requirement and basically the dr just ended up checking vitals and that was it.

I have worn just abut everything aat different exams...just underwear...long gown...short gown...

never naked.

I've had them all different ways. Growing up in the 80's it was undressed to underwear - no gown. Then i had several fully clothed. My doctor now has had me in a gown with underwear left on and in a gown with nothing underneath.

It depends. One doctor asked my wife was to remove totally form waist up for breast exam.another one make expose one breast at time . he said no need to remove all the clothes. I think the first one is right w.r.t breast exam. The doctor has to compare the both breasts so that totally nakednes waist up is necessary. I don't know why the other one expose and check one breast at a time.

I had to go to my Hospital in Leeds UK yesterday for an examination for Arthritis/Rheumatism.

I was pleased when the Dr asked me to undress for the Physical Exam.

When I got down to my briefs he said they had to come off too as he wanted to have a good old feel around my Groin.

I was thrilled as this was so totally unexpected.

He didn't deliberately touch my Genitals but asked me to please move my hands away when I tried to keep my Penis and Scrotum out of the way as he pressed around both groins and pelvis.

Why he couldn't examine here with my underpants on I'll never know, but I'm definately not complaining!

It really depends on the doctor and practice. As a kid, 5-10 I went to one practice and I was always undressed to briefs from the beginning, from 11-13 I went to several different doctors, and most of them examined me with my clothes on (and didnt get much done) but when I was 15, I went back to the old practice that I went to as a kid, and was examined in my underwear, which was pulled down for a genital exam at the end. A few months ago, I made an appointment with a new doctor, I thought I was going in for a physical but apparently it was just a basic office visit, the nurse left the room without saying anything so I undressed to my briefs, thinking I was in for a full physical, the doc walks in and was really surprised to see me almost naked, and a few times, mentioned that in his office, that I never really have to get undressed. I think it really just depends on what type of doctor youre seeing, and what type of practice he or she works at.

@ rt... it's good to see your old doctor had you stripped to just your briefs. Too bad more doctors aren't like this as you've found out. Just for clarification by briefs are you meaning boxer briefs or regular briefs (i.e. tighty whities).

@cody as a kid I was wearing regular white briefs, the one exam I had when I was 15 I wore boxers, but then back to briefs for the last exam, but this time they were black.

yea, the one I went to was in a Physician Associates practice, which are pretty well known for being less thorough, but in their defense I did find out that I wasnt in for a physical, just a 15 minute office visit.