Share This
Unless there’s an emergency or you’re suffering from a chronic illness, visiting the doctor often takes a backseat in the lives of most Americans. The yearly physical gets pushed back for an important meeting, that dentist appointment gets rescheduled for the kids’ soccer game, and so on. While the demands of life are important, so is your health. With each decade of age offering a new set of ailments, routine check-ups and screenings are necessary for your overall health. The key is being proactive.
Don’t wait until health issues arise to visit the doctor. Being proactive about your health can mean the difference between prevention and treatment. So with 30 right around the corner (or maybe a couple of corners behind), the following exams and screenings are crucial to the health of both men and women.
GENERAL EXAMS
- Physical: Once a year, you should get your general health examined. From your heartbeat to lung health to BMI, yearly physicals establish a medical history that can benefit you in the years to come.
- Family History Screening: If your family has a history of a certain disease, start screenings for it as early as possible. Whether diabetes or ovarian cancer, a predisposition to certain conditions requires extra attention.
- Heart Health: Blood pressure, electrocardiogram (EKG), and cholesterol checks are all part of ensuring your heart health after 30. Also, blood tests should be run to assure you are not developing illnesses like diabetes.
- Skin Health: Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, and melanoma can start with a small mole. Have your doctor check your skin each year for unusual spots.
- Dental Health: Most dentists recommend having cleanings and dental check-ups every 6 months to a year.
- Eye Health: It is recommended you visit your optometrist or ophthalmologist every two years.
- Rectal Exam: While colonoscopies aren’t required until after 40, a rectal exam is needed one you pass 30 to avoid conditions like hemorrhoids and even cancer.
- STD Screening: Sexually transmitted diseases can be present without exhibiting any symptoms. If you have new or multiple sexual partners, STD screenings should be performed yearly.
- Skin Health: Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, and melanoma can start with a small mole. Have your doctor check your skin each year for unusual spots.
- Hearing Exam: After 30, checking your hearing every year to two years is recommended, especially for people who work in loud environments like factories, military or construction. To check your hearing health, find a Miracle-Ear location near you and schedule a free hearing test.
EXAMS FOR WOMEN OVER 30
-
Full Gynecological Exam: Your gynecologist should perform these during your yearly visit.
- Pelvic exam
- HPV screening
- Breast exam
- Mammogram: While this is recommended for women over 40, starting them in your 30s can provide a baseline for future reference.
EXAMS FOR MEN OVER 30
- Testicular Exam: If you feel lumps, contact your physician immediately.
- Prostate Exam: This can often wait until forty, but an exam in your 30s can provide a reference for later prostate exams.
- Testosterone Levels Check: An overproduction of testosterone can be a sign of underlying medical issues.
Be proactive about your health after you turn 30, and always consult your primary care physician before making any medical decisions.
You can Tweet us too @RemakingJune
