It's important to undergo key screenings and health tests.
Preventive medicine is one of the best ways to not only reduce the onset of serious and even deadly diseases, but also reduce health care costs in the long run. Unfortunately, many women don't get the health tests and screenings they need to help them avoid getting seriously sick in the future. Being informed is half the battle: Next time you go for your annual checkup, ask the doctor for several key health tests.
Cancer Screenings
Women in their 20s and 30s should receive a breast exam from their doctor at their annual checkups. After age 40, women should get a mammogram every one to two years. Women with a history of breast cancer in their families should start getting mammograms at least 10 years before their relative was diagnosed. For example, if your mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45, get your first mammogram at age 35. Starting at age 50, women should undergo a colonoscopy, which detects colo-rectal cancer, every 10 years. Although this test is one of the most dreaded cancer screenings, an early diagnosis can save your life. Your doctor will give you a sedative to make the screening more pleasant. Women under age 65 should be screened for cervical cancer every three years. Your doctor should run blood tests every year to check your red and white blood cells; abnormally high or low levels can indicate cancer or other diseases.
Heart Health
Even though it's often viewed as a man's disease, heart disease actually claims the lives of 250,000 women a year, according to WebMD. However, heart disease can be preventable with proper diet, exercise and medical intervention. Women over 18 should have their blood pressure measured by their doctor every year. Continuous readings of 130/85 or higher may indicate an elevated risk of heart disease. Women over age 45, especially those with a family history of heart disease, should have their cholesterol measured yearly. Your doctor should measure your HDL, "good cholesterol," and your LDL, "bad cholesterol." Elevated levels of cholesterol can be treated through diet, exercise and medication. Your doctor should ask you about your diet and exercise habits, which can be predictive of future heart disease.
Diabetes
Women, especially those who are overweight or have a family history of diabetes, should be tested for diabetes annually. Diabetes can lead to complications of the kidneys, heart, eyes, gums, skin, and nerves. A simple blood test will be able to detect elevated blood sugar levels. Like high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure, diabetes usually can be treated through changes in diet and exercise habits. However, medication is sometimes necessary. Your doctor will be able to inform you about the best course of action in your specific case.
Sexual Health
Sexually active women should visit their gynecologist once a year for an annual checkup. The gynecologist will perform a pap smear, which can indicate the presence of the HPV virus. The HPV virus can lead to cervical cancer in some women. Young, sexually active women should have a pap smear annually. After two to three pap smears have come back normal, pap smear frequencies can be reduced to every three years. In addition, the gynecologist will check your sexual organs to make sure everything looks normal. Sexually active women, especially those with more than one sexual partner, should undergo annual sexually transmitted disease testing for such conditions as HIV, chlamydia and syphilis.
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