As we get older, we all worry about our health. Routine health checks, which take only a few minutes, can help you detect problems early on when they are easier to treat.
Vital Health Checks to Keep You Longer
Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA)
AAA screening is a procedure for determining whether the aorta has a bulge or enlargement.
What’s in it for You?
An ultrasound of your stomach is used in the screening exam. It’s quick, painless, and dependable.
What is the Significance of the Test?
The aorta is the body’s primary blood vessel. It transports blood from the heart to the rest of the body. If an aortic bulge is allowed to become larger, it may burst, causing life-threatening hemorrhage inside the stomach. Because an abdominal aortic aneurysm seldom causes symptoms, the test can detect a AAA before it bursts.
How Frequently Should You Have Your Stomach Checked?
Even though abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is largely a male illness with a 4:1 male to female ratio1, women who acquire AAAs fare worse than males. Women with AAAs are older, have aneurysms that grow quicker, have a 3–4-fold higher risk of rupture, and burst at smaller diameters than men. Women, males not more than 64, and persons already treated for AAA are not regularly screened. This is because the risk of a AAA is substantially lower in these populations.
If you think you might require a AAA screening, you can walk into a hospital and request one.
So, What’s Next?
After the screening, you will be informed of the outcome. If a problem is discovered, you will receive a letter informing you of any additional testing and treatment you may require.
Blood Pressure Tests
The force exerted by your blood on the walls of your arteries is known as blood pressure. High blood pressure damages the walls of your arteries. It weakens your heart, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
What’s in it for You?
Your doctor or practice nurse will use a cuff that fits your upper arm and is inflated until it becomes tight. The test is painless and rapid, taking about a minute.
What is the Significance of the Test?
Almost 47% of adults have high blood pressure in the United States, yet many are unaware since they have no symptoms.
So, What’s Next?
If your findings aren’t within the normal range, you’ll need to have them tested again. If your blood pressure is invariably high, your doctor will discuss ways to lower it with you.
A blood test to scrutinize the function of your kidneys and a test to determine your risk of getting diabetes may be offered to you. If lifestyle adjustments are unsuccessful or your blood pressure is really high, you will certainly be given recommended drugs.
Bowel Cancer Screening
Although bowel cancer screening cannot diagnose cancer, it can detect possible problems before symptoms appear.
What’s in it for You?
The testing kit, also recognized as a Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBt), is sent through the mail. It needs participants to collect stool samples on a card for several days before sending them to a laboratory for analysis.
All females and males between the ages of 61 and 75 are eligible for screening every two years.
What is the Significance of the Test?
Bowel cancer is the third most frequent disease in the United States. The earlier it is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat and the greater your chances of survival.
So, What’s Next?
The test checks for blood traces, and if any are found, you will be requested to repeat the procedure. This does not necessarily imply bowel cancer, but you may require a colonoscopy to rule out the risk. Only a small fraction of persons will get an aberrant result, necessitating additional testing.
Breast Cancer Screening
According to most experts, regular breast screening is effective in detecting breast cancer early, and the earlier it is detected, the greater the odds of survival. The primary danger is that breast screening can detect tumors that haven’t caused any symptoms or haven’t progressed to become life-threatening. You can end up having extra tests and treatments that aren’t necessary.
What’s in it for You?
Mammography, or x-ray of each breast, is taken. Each breast is carefully placed on the x-ray machine and crushed softly but forcefully with a transparent plate. Even though the compression stays a few seconds, some women find it bothersome.
What is the Significance of the Test?
Breast cancer concerns about one in every thirty-nine women in the United States.
How Frequently Should You Have Your Breast Checked?
Between your 49th and 54th birthdays, you’ll receive your first invitation to your local breast screening facility. You’ll also be invited from the age of 47 to 73 in some locations. You will be requested to come around every three years until you reach the age of 70.
Although you may not be invited to screening after the age of 70, you can request one every three years. Your doctor’s office can advise you on who to contact. You should be handed a card to remind you of your entitlement at your previous routine screen.
So, What’s Next?
No later than fourteen days after the test, the results will be given to you and your doctor. Even though most women have a normal results, some may be referred to an evaluation center for additional testing.
Cervical Examination
Cervical screening is a method of cancer prevention that involves finding abnormalities in a woman’s cervix that, if left uncared for, could develop into cancer.
What’s in it for You?
A doctor or nurse uses a speculum to open the woman’s vaginal canal and then sweeps a little soft brush around the cervix. It’s mildly unpleasant but not excruciating, according to most women.
What is the Significance of the Test?
Over 341000 women globally died of cervical cancer in 2020. The incidence of cervical cancer cases has declined by roughly 7% each year since the screening program began in the 1980s.
How Frequently Should You Have Your Cervix Checked?
Every 3-5 years, all women aged 25 to 64 are eligible for a free cervical screening test. Women over 65 are normally not asked for screening unless they haven’t been examined since they were 50 years old or have had an abnormal result in one of their last three tests.
So, What’s Next?
Within fourteen days, you should receive the results of your test. The majority of screening results are normal. However, being recalled does not always imply you have cancer. The test reveals aberrant alterations in about 1 in every 20 women, necessitating further research and therapy.
Tests for Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of lipid that disseminates in the bloodstream. High cholesterol levels can clog arteries, increasing your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
What’s in it for You?
An uncomplicated blood test at your doctor’s office can define your cholesterol level.
What is the Significance of the Test?
Since high cholesterol has no manifestations, you may be clueless that you have it. Only by having the test done will you be able to find out.
So, What’s Next?
If you have high cholesterol, adjusting your diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly can help you lower it. If you have a heart disorder or are at risk of developing it, your doctor may prescribe statins, which are cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Skin Tests
Keeping an eye on moles, whether you do it yourself or go to a professional clinic, can help you detect early indications of skin cancer. Most moles are innocuous, but they can occasionally turn into malignant melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer.
What’s in it for You?
If the color, size, or shape of an existing mole changes, ask your doctor to examine it and, if essential, direct you for further testing.
What is the Significance of the Test?
An estimated 99,750 adults (42,590 women and 57,160 men) in the United States will be identified with invasive melanoma of the skin. As with all sorts of cancers, early detection and treatment improve your chances of survival.
How Frequently Should You Examine Your Body?
Every few weeks, check all of your moles and consult your doctor if anything changes.
So, What’s Next?
If you discover a suspicious mole, you will be referred for additional tests, and a professional may opt to remove it. If it’s melanoma, you’ll probably need more testing to be sure cancer hasn’t spread.
