The Top 10 Health Screenings for Women
There is no doubt that women have a lot on their plates and a lot they have to juggle. From their careers, to their families and friends, they usually have lots of things they have to get done. What this has meant is that their health has most often than not taken a back seat, as most put their families and their careers first. It is no surprise to find women taking better care of say their homes or places of work than they do their bodies. The thing is, the body cannot be ignored forever and sooner or later, if you don’t take care of it, it will catch up to you. The body, especially the body of a woman is quite complex, with lots of moving parts working together. The good news is, despite its complex nature, there are a number tests that one can be able to pinpoint potential problems, sometimes even before they occur. There are a number of screenings available to any woman to take but there are a number of key ones that need to be prioritized. This article will look to highlight 10 of the top health screenings that for women to take out there.
Blood pressure screenings
This is one of the most important screenings that a woman should have scheduled, with the regularity of this screening depending on other risk factors. For instance, women with obesity are required to take this screening every year to ensure that their blood pressure is within acceptable levels, while those who have had prior readings of below 120/80 mm Hg should also have screenings every two years.
Cholesterol screening
Cholesterol screening are important for women as they help in assessing the risks of them suffering from heart attacks, strokes and other conditions. It is recommended that one has their cholesterol checked at least once every five years and if you find that you have a cholesterol level that puts you at an increased risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke, then you should ensure you come up with a plan to reduce it with your doctor as well as how often you need to get it screened until you reduce it to acceptable levels.
Pap Smear
Women should have pap smears done as soon as they hit 21 up to 65 years of age as this are some of the most important screenings out there. It should be done in regular intervals of every three years according to experts, although women over 30 can have one every 5 years. It is a screening that allows one to find out if they are likely to develop cervical cancer. It can also be combined with a screening for HPV which is an STD that can also lead to cervical cancer.
Mammograms
This is yet another very important screening as far as women are concerned. It is a screening that checks for breast cancer, a condition that has affected millions of women out there over the years. Although there have been lost of discussions on how often one should have a mammogram done, the subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com recommend that a woman should have one every two years, and they can switch to annual testing once they turn 45 up to 55 when they can revert back to biannual screening.
Bone density screening
This is another important screening for women as this one checks for osteoporosis. It is recommended that screening start at the age of 65, although those who have an increased risk of developing this condition can start screening earlier. Depending on the initial readings of bone density, the doctor will able to tell you how often you should come back for subsequent screenings, with other risk factors such as previous fractures coming into play.
Blood Glucose Tests
Women, once they hit 45 years of age, should have this screening done every three years so that they can be able to check for diabetes or even prediabetes, as per frontlineer.com. This, of course is for instances of type 2 diabetes, given type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed when one is still a child. For those with risk factors such as obesity, family history of diabetes among other that will make them more likely to develop diabetes, they should start screening much earlier.
Body mass index screening
This screening is important for women as it helps in checking and testing for obesity. This is a very important reading, especially if you take into account the fact that obesity usually increases the risks of one suffering or developing a myriad of conditions like heart diseases, heart attacks and diabetes. It also helps you maintain your ideal weight, with every person having their own ideal weight based on their build and weight. Screening should start at 18 years of age.
Colon cancer screening
This screening should start for women at the age of 50 years of age and can be done either through a sigmoidoscopy which examines only the lower colon or a colonoscopy which examines the entire colon. According to the subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com, a sigmoidoscopy should be done every 5 years while a colonoscopy should be done every 10 years, unless in special circumstances like if a problem is found in the initial screening or if one is at a greater risk of colon cancer.
Skin sense and sensibility screening
This should be done starting at the age of 18 and should be done every year by a dermatologist. It entails a head-to-toe screening that is aimed at finding unusual red or brown spots. It is an important screening as it helps identify skin cancer, which has claimed its fair share of lives in the U.S alone. It is also important to do a self-exam every month, to check for anything suspicious.
Dental checkups
It is important for women to maintain good dental health, and as such the folks over at frontlineer.com recommend that adult women have dental checkups twice every year. These checkups are usually preventative in nature as they involve teeth cleaning as well as examining, including with X-rays that allow for one to identify early signs of decay and other issues, that can then be fixed early enough.
The above are the top ten health screenings that every woman has to ensure they undertake, within the frequency periods stated for each without fail, with more on this expansive topic and then some, to be found over at frontlineer.com.
