The Most Important Health Screenings

You Should Have

With all of the talk about screenings for your health, how can you know which ones are the most important for your age and stage of life? This guide will tell you the most important health screenings you can have and at what age they should be preformed for the first time and then your doctor or health care professional will set you up with a regular schedule for screening from there.

A physical examination is needed every year, no matter what your age. Regular check-ups is the best way to keep your body healthy and well throughout your lifetime.

A clinical breast exam or mammogram for women with no family history of breast cancer is necessary once you reach the age of 40 and should be repeated yearly for maximum protection. If you have a history of breast cancer in your family, get checked early and continue to be screened for breast cancer as early detection is the key to fighting it and living a long healthy life in spite of it.

Women also need to be screened for cervical cancer regularly with a pelvic exam and pap smear. Your gynecologist will set you up with a healthy schedule depending on your age and other factors.

Men who are age 50 and older should be screened for prostate and rectal cancer every year. Again, if you have a family history of cancer in either of these areas, get screened at a young age and monitor it regularly to make sure cancer isn’t developing.

Men and women both need to be screened for colorectal cancer. This is normally done with a fecal blood test preformed yearly until you reach age 50 and then you will need to have a more in-depth look with a colonoscopy every ten years or sooner if it runs in your family.

Everyone should know their cholesterol levels. These should be screened at least every five years throughout your adult life to determine any drastic changes that need to be addressed with your diet. This is called a lipid profile, and is sometimes scheduled sooner than 5 years if your doctor thinks you might be at risk for developing high levels of cholesterol.

Your doctor will be able to tell you more specific screenings that are tailored to suit your needs. Make a wellness appointment today to get in touch with your doctor and let them know you are interested in knowing what health screenings you should be doing.

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