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A year of living less dangerously: Annual tests that can help keep you healthy

Newswise — It can seem impossible to keep track of all the screenings you’re supposed to have, but this helpful list can get you started on 12 months of healthy living. Start with a phone call to your doctor. He or she can recommend self-tests and help you set up the screening tests that may uncover health problems early, when they’re most treatable.

Your doctor may recommend earlier or more frequent screenings for you, based on your family history or other risk factors. Physicians on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie, recommend the following screening tests.

UNDER 40
Men and women:
Blood pressure. Age 18 and older, every two years if normal.
Cholesterol. Start at age 20, at least every five years.
Skin cancer. Adults 20 to 39, every three years. Self-test: Once a month, look over your skin for any changes.
Diabetes. “If you have any of the following risk factors for diabetes, you should talk to your doctor about including a fasting glucose test as part of your annual physical,” says Jeffrey Astbury, M.D., an internal medicine physician on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie.

• Family history of diabetes
• Personal history of gestational diabetes
• Overweight with sedentary lifestyle
• Alaskan Eskimo, American Indian, African American, Hispanic/Latin American, Asian American or Pacific Islander
• History of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), cardiovascular disease or impaired fasting glucose from previous testing

Women:
Breast self-exam once a month. “No one knows your body as well as you do, so check your breasts every month for any abnormalities. Even if you’re not sure about what you find, get it checked out anyway just to be on the safe-side,” says Jasbir Singh, M.D., obstetrician and gynecologist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie.
Clinical breast exam by a physician, annually.
Mammogram. Screening mammograms starting annually at age 40.
Pap smear (cervical cancer). Annually beginning at age 21 or as soon as sexually active.

Men:
Testicular self-exam once a month. Check each testicle for any lumps or swelling.

OVER 40
Men and women:
Continue self-tests and screenings recommended for those under 40 and add:
Skin cancer after age 40, once a year.
Colorectal cancer. Have a sigmoidoscopy with digital rectal exam every five years starting at age 50, or consider the more thorough colonoscopy every 10 years starting at age 50. You also should consider having a fecal occult blood test annually after age 50. “This test is linked with a 33 percent reduction in mortality—that’s impressive for a test that’s very easy to do,” says Jason Nordstrom, M.D., an internist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie.

Women:
Clinical breast exam by a physician annually after age 40.
Mammogram annually starting at age 40.
Bone density scan. Ask your doctor whether you should have a bone density scan. If you’re over 65, you should have your bone density tested.

Men:
Prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends a digital rectal exam and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test annually for men 50 and older. If you’re African American and/or have a family history of prostate cancer, you should have a digital exam and PSA annually starting at age 40.

If you would like recommendations on what types of screenings you need, visit BaylorHealth.com and choose Health Library under Health Information, then click on Tests.