A routine checkup is a visit to the doctor in which the doctor checks to see if your body is working normally. However, many people are afraid of doctors and even try to avoid a simple visit such as this. So what happens in a routine checkup? Here are some things that a doctor will often do. Your doctor will look at your skin, hair and nails. Any problems with these can tell the doctor a lot about your body. For example, a rash on your skin might mean that you have an allergy. White spots on your fingernails might show that you need more calcium(钙). Next your doctor will take your pulse. By touching your wrist and counting your heartbeats, the doctor will know how healthy your heart is. Your doctor will also use a stethoscope(听诊器) to listen to your lungs. This is to make sure you are breathing in a healthy way. The doctor may push on your stomach to make sure that nothing is swollen and that food can travel through your body easily. Your doctor will also look into your ears to look for any infection. Another common check is for your doctor to ask you to open your mouth and say "Ah". When you do this, the doctor will examine your tongue and throat. He can see if there is any infection and make sure your tongue is a healthy color. As you can see, a visit to the doctor for a routine checkup isn't scary at all. It is something we should all do regularly.