With our busy lives, routines, children pulling at our skirts and our many responsibilities, it’s easy to forget about ourselves. Unfortunately, this works to our detriment; by the time we notice something is wrong, we may be in a difficult situation.
Regular checkups become more important as we age due to complications that might arise due to aging, family health history, and environmental factors.
When you go for a regular checkup, you can take better care of your health and be able to detect early signs of a disease. Early detection means the disease could be treated earlier.
Checkups are also important for women who have a family history of a particular disease since this means that you are at high risk.
If you’ve overlooked your regular checkups, it’s time that you visit a doctor and get these checkups.
Pap smear and pelvic exam
Women need to take care of their reproductive system, especially once you reach a certain age and if you are sexually active.
Having a pap smear will let you know if there are any abnormalities in your reproductive system that you should be concerned about.
This is also a way to check for cervical cancer.
The test is only done every two or three years, depending on your age as well as your previous test results, if any.
Mammograms and breast exam
A mammogram is used to screen for breast cancer. This is typically done once you reach the age of 40.
For younger women, especially those who are still in their 20s, a clinical breast exam can be performed by a doctor to examine your breasts for any abnormalities.
Make sure to do a self-examination every so often as well – detailed explanations on how to do it properly are found online and on Youtube.
This can be done at least every three years until you reach the age of 40.
Bone density screening
Bone loss comes with aging. This is why if you are already 65 years of age, you should go for bone density screening.
However, for those who have had a bone fracture in the past or have a petite body frame, you are at a higher risk for osteoporosis and should have bone density screening done earlier than other women.
Your body will be scanned and this will let your doctor know your bone density as well as other risks of injury and decreased movement.
Colon cancer screening
Colon cancer is becoming very common these days, even among women. When you reach the age of 50, you can have yourself screened for colon cancer.
But if you have a high risk of developing colon cancer, you can be screened earlier. A colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy is done to check your colon for signs of cancer or to detect precancerous lesions or polyps.
Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) testing
If you are sexually active or have multiple partners and don’t practice safe sex (and even if you do), you should definitely have yourself tested for STD.
A routine pap smear can be used to check for STD. STD affects a woman’s body in numerous ways and can cause uncomfortabilities, pain or physical changes.
These can further lead to fertility problems, increase your risk for cervical cancer, and even infect an unborn child if you are pregnant. Fortunately, there are fast and private STD testings like those of https://www.stdaware.com.
Don’t disregard your health. Go for your regular checkups so you can be at your best and so you can continue taking care of your family.
Set your appointment now and talk to your doctor about what you need to do to stay healthy.
Thanks to Freepik for the original version of the featured image.
