Good health is important for everyone, regardless of gender. As a woman, you need to be sure that everything is fine when it comes to your health. This article lays out a series of different health screenings every woman has to go through at least once in their lifetime, and according to doctors, women must not avoid or skip them.
If you were born and raised in the United States, you’ve probably got an insurance plan and a family doctor. You know that with those, you can get medical care. What if your regular medical care isn’t enough? That’s why, as a woman in this busy country, it’s important to undergo annual health screenings that will enhance your health—and even save your life.
Women are attending their yearly health checkups with increasing frequency. Keeping the doctor away takes a great deal of effort on your part. These annual wellness checkups are important, and women should never skip them. The findings from these routine checkups help you take control of your health. This is also a great way to know how well your body responds to medications or whether you need to make any lifestyle changes.
Women go through many different health screenings, and new technology can be very helpful in detecting early signs of disease. You can also consult a nursing professional with a properly accredited qualification before setting up an appointment with the doctor. Since some of the tests can be unnecessary and expensive any qualified nurse should be able to guide you. With the emergence of online RN to BSN degrees, these professionals are well versed enough to guide you accordingly.
Here are some important screenings that every woman should go through:
Pelvic Exams
A pelvic exam is part of your annual gynecological checkup. It includes checking the external genitalia, cervix, and uterus and monitoring the function of your ovaries and fallopian tubes. It helps find problems like cysts or infections early on so that you can get treatment easily before they become serious health concerns. Pelvic exams also include Pap smears and/or HPV tests.
Pap Test
This test checks for cell changes in the cervix that could lead to cervical cancer. It’s recommended for women every three years, starting at age 21. You should have this test even if you’re not sexually active. If you have active sexual life, then STD testing as well is preferred on a regular basis. If you’re over 30, you may be able to have the Pap test combined with a human papillomavirus (HPV) test every five years.
Women over 65 can stop getting Pap smears if they’ve had three consecutive normal tests in the previous ten years.
Blood Pressure Check
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, kidney and heart disease. The good news is that high blood pressure is easy to prevent by exercising regularly and eating healthy foods.
Mammogram
Once a year, starting at 40, women should have a mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray image of the breast. Mammograms can also help find cysts, benign tumors, and calcium deposits that could lead to cancer later on if not caught early enough.
Osteoporosis and Bone Density Screening
Women are at greater risk for osteoporosis than men. This disease causes the bones to become thin and weak and increases the risk for fractures. Though there is no cure for osteoporosis, it’s possible to slow its progression with certain lifestyle changes and medications.
Osteoporosis is a condition that can either be prevented or treated if you take calcium supplements or calcium-rich food daily. A bone density screening can help you determine if you have osteoporosis and advise you on the right course of action.
A bone density screening is a way to diagnose this disease. This screening is a non-invasive procedure that uses X-rays to determine the density of your bones. You will only need one every five years if your first test shows that you are in good health.
Cholesterol Test
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in the body’s cells. Your body too much cholesterol can lead to the buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls. This increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular problems.
Blood Sugar Test
Diabetes is a disorder that interferes with the body’s ability to use sugar as fuel. As many as one in three people with diabetes don’t know they have it, which means they aren’t getting treatment. But if you eat right and exercise, you can reduce your risk of diabetes by 58 percent.
Conclusion
This checklist is only a starting point to give you an idea of the health screenings every woman should go through. You should try to follow it up with a discussion with your primary care physician about how often you’re due for screening and how these screenings might affect your pregnancy if you become pregnant. By following this list and consulting your doctor, you’ll feel more confident once you are healthy enough and can carry out your daily activities much more efficiently.