10 Health Essential Checks you Should not Skip

10 Health Essential Checks you Should not Skip

Many people believe that if they have no symptoms, they do not have to see a doctor. Some do not want to see a doctor regardless of whether they have symptoms. In fact, the costs of healthcare treatments and tests might keep people away from doctors. Some tests are designed to catch problems early. Often, the earlier things are caught, the easier they are to treat. Therefore, it is important to get these 10 health checks even if they might be costly.

1. Cholesterol Screening – Doctors order blood tests to check your cholesterol. Too many bad LDLs could lead to heart problems. Exercise and eating the right foods will give you more good LDLs and fewer bad LDLs. Good LDLs help your heart stay strong. They also help your body function the way it is supposed to function. Knowing if you have too many bad LDLs, doctors can come up with a treatment plan to address the situation. This treatment plan could be as simple as changing your diet by adding more fruits and vegetables into it. The treatment plan also could require medication to bring down the cholesterol levels. You should get this screening done. It doesn’t take much effort on your part. You go to a lab and have a few vials of blood drawn. You could be done in minutes.
2. Gynecological Exam – Women after age 18 should get regular gynecological exams. If they are younger than 18, they could get exams if they are having issues with their menstrual cycle. The importance of the exam is to ensure you don’t have any problems in your uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes. It also checks for lumps in your breasts and pregnancy. Making sure you are healthy in those areas is important. Problems in those areas could require surgery, give you pain or lead to excessive bleeding. In addition, gynecological exams check for ovarian and cervical cancers.
3. Mammogram – Even though doctors check for lumps during a gynecological exam, a mammogram for women older than 40 will show more thoroughly whether a lump is in a breast. Caught early, breast cancer is treatable and life-saving. While this takes more effort on your part than cholesterol screenings, it usually is less than an hour of your time. In addition, women should conduct regular self exams on their breasts and alert their doctor of any problems they notice.
4. Prostate Exam – Men older than 40 should have regular prostate exams. These will detect cancer in men. Like breast cancer, which also can happen to men, catching cancer early in men means the cancer is the most treatable. Prostate exams could save men’s lives.
5. Heart and Lungs – Getting regular check-ups on your heart and lungs is important. Most heart attacks happen without symptoms. People don’t know they have issues until it is too late. Having a doctor listen to your heart and lungs will allow him or her to detect a problem early. Detecting issues with your heart and lungs can prevent heart attacks and strokes. Did you know that heart problems kill more women than breast cancer? Heart problems affect both men and women equally and are silent killers when not checked.
6. Teeth Exams – Many people hate going to the dentist, but checking your teeth is vital to your health. Problems with your teeth can lead to other issues throughout the body, such as heart and bones. Periodontal disease is related to infections elsewhere in the body. In addition to getting your teeth checked regularly, you should brush, floss and use mouthwash. Dentists can find cavities, abscesses and bone loss. The bone loss might indicate osteoporosis.
7. Bone Scan – As we age, our bones change. A bone scan can tell whether you are losing bone mass. There are ways to increase bone mass, but significant bone loss indicates osteoporosis. You want to monitor bone loss so it doesn’t become severe, which will cause you more problems later in life. You can promote bone health by lifting weights, including laundry baskets and babies. Monitoring your height will help you know whether there is a problem too. If there is significant shrinkage, there might be osteoporosis.
8. Weight – On regular physicals, nurses usually check your weight. Monitoring your weight can alert doctors if you have excessive weight gain or loss. Both are detrimental to your health. Being overweight can cause problems with your heart, lungs, ability to walk and pancreas. Being underweight can cause problems with your skin and other organs. Doctors can determine whether your weight is OK or troublesome. They can prescribe a new diet, surgery or medication to reduce your weight. They also can create a treatment plan if you need to gain weight. Monitoring your weight reduces the risk of major illnesses.
9. Colonoscopy/Colon Tests – After age 50, people should get either a colonoscopy or take a test for the colon. Many people have colon cancer. These tests can indicate whether they have colon cancer or not. While the colonoscopy is mainly for those with a higher than normal risk of colon cancer, it is more invasive and thorough. It will give you a clear picture of your colon. However, if you don’t want to go to a hospital to check your colon, try using the other tests initially. If your initial tests indicate you might have colon cancer, you will need the colonoscopy.
10. Vaccine Shots – Children are required to get certain vaccines prior to starting school. Many people refuse vaccinations for their children because they believe it will cause autism. This is a myth. No studies have shown a causal effect of autism from the vaccines. Certain life-threatening diseases, such as measles, are on the rise because of vaccinations not being done. It is important not to miss the vaccine schedule for children to prevent a spread of contagions that could cost you your children’s lives. The vaccine requirements differ from state to state, but they are necessary. It is recommended they get meningitis vaccines if they are teens or young adults. Older people should think about getting shingles vaccine, pneumonia vaccine and others.

Author Bio: Merry is a seasoned writer and SEO specialist with a passion for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers. With a background in Christian marketing, she has spent five years honing her skills as a content writer and SEO expert at a prominent Christian brand.