Monthly and yearly screenings to prevent disease

October 2, 2015

Diseases don't just happen, like the switching on of a light. They develop gradually and imperceptibly. By the time you finally feel or observe a symptom, they likely have been progressing for a long time. It's a scary thought. But we live in an amazing time. Doctors have the know-how to tell if a disease is developing in us long before a major symptom has occurred.

Monthly and yearly screenings to prevent disease

Get tested and test yourself!

Today, we can catch cancer early and even destroy or remove abnormal cells before they have time to become cancer. This is a time when a simple blood test can tell more about what's happening within your body than open-heart surgery, and when sophisticated imaging machines and procedures can identify microscopic abnormalities long before they cause any damage.

  • Even better — you don't always need a doctor to provide the kind of top-to-bottom checks that can assure your health over the next 40 years.
  • You can conduct many screening tests yourself, in the privacy of your own home. Yet 9 out of 10 adults age 65 and older fail to get or perform recommended health screenings.

What you should check every month

  • Check your breasts (women only): While most breast cancers are found on a mammogram or during a breast exam from your doctor, enough are found by women themselves to make this monthly check worthwhile. Also make sure you know how your breasts normally feel and let your health-care provider know about any changes. A good idea is to check your breasts in the shower on the same day of the month, usually a week after your period begins.
  • Check your testicles (men only): To check for testicular cancer. Feel for any unusual bumps or lumps.
  • Check your moles: Examine any moles for changes in size, shape, or colour, which could signify cancer.

Annual tests you need to have

  • Dental exam and cleaning: Gum disease and tooth decay not only hurt your smile and your breath but also can lead to the type of low-level inflammation that increases your risk of a host of health conditions, including heart disease. Twice a year checks are even better!
  • Stool guaiac test beginning at age 50: This test, also called fecal occult blood test, checks for blood in your stool, providing an early indication of colon cancer.
  • Screening mammogram, beginning at age 40 (women only): The majority of breast cancers are diagnosed on screening mammograms, which studies find have significantly reduced the death rate from the disease. Once you reach age 75, it's up to you and your doctor if you want to continue having mammograms.
  • Clinical breast exam (women only): Your doctor is experienced in identifying any breast abnormalities or changes that might indicate an increased risk of breast cancer or even a potential cancer.
  • Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, beginning at age 50 (men only): Not everyone agrees on the need for annual PSA testing, so talk to your doctor. If you have a high risk of prostate cancer (African-American men and men with one or more first-degree relatives — father, brothers — diagnosed before age 65), talk to your doctor about beginning testing at age 45.
  • Pap test and pelvic exam (women only): To screen for abnormalities that could indicate pre-cervical cancer. If you are over 30 and have a normal Pap and a normal HPV test (which tests for the virus that causes most cervical cancers), you do not need to be tested again for three years; or if you've had three normal Pap tests in a row, you can skip the next two or three years. Check with your doctor if you are over 70.

Keep this guide in mind and catch health problems early on with simple screenings at home and with your doctor.

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