Health Screening and Why You Need It as a Man
Prevention is better than cure. You’ve heard of this saying more times than you can remember. Yet, many people ignore this crucial piece of advice, especially when it comes to men’s health. A good number of killer-diseases can be treated, but why should you wait until the last minute?
Health screening is a preventative method you can use to identify certain diseases at an early stage. In fact, every man should set this in their calendar. Before then, take a look at some of the different vital health screenings every man should go for.
- Blood Cholesterol
If you’re above 35, you need to go for regular blood cholesterol checks. However, this will depend on a number of factors such as:
- Whether you use tobacco
- You have diabetes
- You have a relative who’s had a heart attack before hitting 50
- You’re obese or overweight
If these factors resonate with you, then you need to get your cholesterol checked earlier than 35, at 20. There are a number of tests which will determine your cholesterol levels. This is important to avoid health-related diseases.
- Colon Cancer
Cancer is a leading killer. It’s ruthless in every aspect. From family finances to the emotions. As a man, it’s crucial for you to get screened for colon cancer before getting to 50.
If your family has a history of colon cancer, then you should go screening much earlier. Colonoscopy is one of the common tests used to check for colon cancer.
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
If you’ve used tobacco in your life and you fall between 65 and 70 years, then you need to go for an abdominal aortic aneurysm for screening. Tests such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scans (CT scan) will help doctors to detect and determine the size as well as the extent of the aortic aneurysm.
This condition is fatal because it can cause aortic bulging which can rupture and cause intensive bleeding which can lead to death.
- Diabetes
If you’re taking medication to control high blood pressure, it’s important, as a man, to go for diabetes screening. Also, if you experience symptoms such as:
- Frequent severe thirst
- An unexplained loss in weight
- Tingling sensation in the feet or hands
- Frequent hunger
Then you should visit a doctor for screening. Diabetes is characterized by either low or high blood sugar. Therefore, one of the tests involved is checking your blood sugar through a blood test for about three months.
- Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is a leading killer among men. There’re a number of screening procedures preferred by various physicians. However, it’s important for you to discuss the pros and cons of each screening method with your doctor.
The most common types of prostate cancer tests include:
- Prostate-specific antigen test – A PSA test will check certain levels of protein made by the prostate gland in the blood. For men with prostate cancer, the levels are higher.
- Digital rectal examination – This type of test involves insertion of a finger inside the rectum. The physician will do this in order to check for lumps in the prostate gland or whether it’s enlarged.
- Obesity
The body mass index is used to determine whether you have a healthy weight. You can use a BMI calculator to get the BMI. The calculator arrives at its answer by calculating the ratio of your weight to your height.
If your BMI falls ranges from 18.5 to 24.9, then you have a healthy weight. Anything over 25 is considered overweight while 30 is considered obese.
Your doctor can also carry out more tests including measuring the waist circumference, skinfold thickness and also checking overall fat percentage in the body. Doctors can also send a regulated jolt of electricity in the body to get accurate numbers of body fat.
What are You Waiting for?
Face your fears. Stop the procrastination and man up. Schedule a screening for one of these diseases or even all. The more the merrier. Understand that by getting screened, you become more aware of your health status while saving you tons of money in treatment.
You could even detect a different disease from what you went in for screening. Who knows!
