Can anyone think of a time where you wish you went to the doctor sooner for an issue or wish you could have detected it sooner? Because I know I can and there are plenty of people that also wish the same thing. This is why preventive care is especially important and the same reason that it is included in so many of the medical plans with which you choose to be covered.
Unfortunately, many women’s health issues are bypassed because they do not regularly go to the doctor for preventive checks and claim the pain is inconsequential or something that will pass. This has definitely led to bigger health issues, but we, women can change that! By visiting your primary care physician regularly, they have the ability to detect issues earlier than if one was to wait until the symptoms were more present in their body.
So, women, here is to hoping that this is your motivation to make that appointment with your lady doctor for a yearly well-woman visit or for your annual checkup with the primary care physician. Some recommended preventive screenings you can receive include:
- Bone density test due to the increased risk of osteoporosis.
- Skin exam for skin cancer detection which should happen every 3 years between ages 20-40 and once a year following that age range. Please check your own skin once a month.
- Blood Pressure screenings happening every 2 years if not occurring at your normal care visit.
- Hearing test, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends every 10 years until age 50, then every 3 years.
- Breast Exam with your gynecologist every 3 years for ages 20-40, then annually while adding yearly mammograms as well. Make sure to perform a breast self-exam once a month. Follow this link if you need assistance.
- Pap Smear test every 3 years for ages 21-29, then every 5 years, allowing your gynecologist to check for cancers, endometriosis, PCOS, etc.
Now, this is not an extensive list of tests that one can obtain, but they are the main preventive care tips universally recommended by health care physicians.
Please schedule your doctor appointments and check what type of care is covered by your medical health plans. If you need assistance in understanding what is covered, contact your medical carrier or your plan sponsor.
Do not worry men, your preventive care tips are important too, so check out the blog next month for the recommended screenings for men’s preventive care.
