Physical Exam
Physical exams are very important, and even people
30 and younger should be getting one regularly. According to U.S. News &
World Report piece by Dr. Bryan Arling, this means scheduling a physical twice
in your 20s and three times in your 30s (and so on).
Other
than the standards of height, weight, and blood pressure, at the physical, you
can also have your doctor assure you’re up-to-date on your immunizations. For
instance, as an adult woman up to age 26, if you so choose, you should have the
HPV vaccination that helps, in part, fight against high-risk HPV that causes
nearly 100-percent of cervical cancers, according to Women's
Health.
The doctor will also check your blood pressure. Knowing this number can be
super helpful to your heart, brain, kidneys, and more.
Cholesterol
Profile
It
is recommended that women in their 20s and 30s have their blood drawn for a
cholesterol test at least once every four to six years, according to WebMD. As
with anything else, it should be checked more often depending on your family
history and prior health records. Knowing your cholesterol number is so
important. For instance, if your cholesterol is high it poses a major risk for
coronary heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association.
To keep your heart at its utmost health, be sure to commit to this test.
Breast
Exam
We
all know we should be regularly visiting our gynecologist, and here’s why:
These visits, like many other health exams, help both you and your doctor to
understand your body, and allows your doctor to find any problems easily so
that they can be treated. Part of your gyno visit should include an annual
clinical breast exam, which will help identify any unusual lumps.
According
to BreastCancer.org, in the US one in eight women will develop invasive breast
cancer over the course of their lifetime. According to the Susan G. Komen
Foundation for Breast Cancer Research, cases that are caught early lead to
better prognosis, so getting checked frequently can literally help save your
life. In addition to getting a clinical breast exam, you should give yourself
routine self-exams once a month. This involves checking your breasts for
irregular lumps or bumps, according to Women's Health. If
anything seems strange, schedule an appointment ASAP.
Pelvic
Exam and Pap Smear
Pap
screening should begin by the age of 21, and women should have a screening once
every three years, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the American
Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) and the American Society
for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) standards for screenings. This test will help you
identify signs of cervical cancer.
Skin
Screening
In
the U.S., roughly 3.3 million people are treated for nonmelanoma skin cancer
each year, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. In your 20s and 30s,
regular visits to your dermatologist are recommended as a means of catching
anything before it becomes too large a health issue. This means making an
appointment for a skin screening once a year. You should also be monitoring
your skin on your own. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends you check your
body once a month for anything you deem strange or new. If you notice any
changing moles or suspicious marks, you should make an appointment right away.
As we all know, it’s far better to be safe than sorry.
Eye
Exam
For
those who don’t have trouble with their vision — either near or far — it’s easy
to skip out on the eye doctor. But, according MedlinePlus, it is recommended
that we all have an eye exam once every two to four years before the age of 40,
and of course more regularly if you have vision problems. After 40, we should
be seeing the eye doctor even more regularly. According to Glaucoma.org, “Early
detection, through regular and complete eye exams, is the key to protecting
your vision from damage caused by glaucoma.”
Dental
Exam
Everyone
— even those with pristine dental health — should visit their dentist at least
annually for an exam and cleaning. According to experts from the Columbia
University College of Dental Medicine, once is year is said to be enough for
those who have low risk of cavities or gum disease. For others, they may
consider going twice a year for check-ups. Those in the “high risk” group are
recommended to visit their dentist every three to four months. According to the
Columbia experts, this includes smokers, pregnant women, diabetics, those with
gum disease, those with a weak immune response to bacterial infection, and
those who are prone to cavities or plaque build up.
It
may seem impossible to keep up with all of these appointments, but remember
that your health truly depends on it. Make these exams part of your calendar,
and you’ll be sincerely thanking yourself for years to come.
Source: Bustle.com
Read full article: Bustle.com