Getting Your Health Screenings

By Shane R

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Going in for health screenings might not be a priority on the top of your to-do list, but they should be. Specifically, if you were born anywhere between 1946 and 1970, you should request a colorectal cancer screening at your next appointment. Even though the procedure might seem unpleasant, you need to give yourself a chance to be fully and one-hundred percent healthy.

If colon cancer runs in your family history, a colonoscopy may be more appropriate. During this procedure, you may need a mild sedative. But, the rule of thumb is screenings should start when you are 50 years young.

Blood pressure screenings are another area in which you should be checking on when you are 40-years-old and older. Having high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart failure, and even erectile dysfunction. Every year is a great time to check for this.

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PAP exams should be done annually for women, beginning at 18 and 21 at the latest. Then, moving forward, this exam should be ongoing to make sure there is no cancer developing. At 65, women can stop this screening, but other screenings will become more important. Some vaccines can limit the chances of the human papillomavirus, so cervical cancer, among others, can stay far away. Please remember that it is always best to discuss what you should be checking for and when with your primary health care practitioner.