10 Essential Health Screenings Every Woman Should Have
Prevention is better than cure. This age-old saying rings true today, especially as individuals start leading increasingly stressful lives, in polluted environments. Periodic health screening tests must be integrated into one’s life as one ages to help maintain a good quality of life.
Regular health checkups can help recognize and treat conditions before they grow into serious, life-threatening issues. Women must consider undertaking the following health screening tests for women to live a long and healthy life.
1. Blood Pressure Screening
High blood pressure can make individuals prone to other conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Conversely, low blood pressure can be a sign of an underlying issue and can reduce blood flow to the brain, heart and other vital organs.
Individuals must check their blood pressure periodically to prevent any severe health conditions.
2. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
STDs are infections that spread primarily through bodily fluids. These are caused by bacteria, parasites and viruses.
Examples of STDs include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis. If left untreated, these can cause lifelong complications due to organ and nervous system damage. STDs can also jeopardize the healthy growth of a fetus.
3. Skin Cancer
One of the most common types of cancer, skin cancer, develops when abnormal cells grow in the skin tissue. Moles, pearly or waxy bumps, crusty sores, and wounds that don’t heal or heal but return soon after are some symptoms of skin cancer.
While routine skin cancer health screening tests must be undertaken, individuals must prioritize a healthy lifestyle with enough exercise and a healthy diet.
4. Breast Cancer Screening
According to the WHO, breast cancer is the most common cancer type in women across 157 countries. It is characterized by the growth of abnormal cells in the breast tissue. If left unchecked, it can also spread to other parts of the body.
Doctors recommend mammograms (X-rays of the breasts) every two years to help diagnose this cancer in its early stages.
5. Cholesterol Test
High cholesterol levels can clog arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Individuals must take cholesterol tests every five years, especially after the age of 45, to help keep their cholesterol levels in check and prevent heart conditions.
6. Cervical Cancer Screening
This type of cancer develops in the cervix. It is typically diagnosed through a pap test that involves examining cells from the cervix to ascertain whether they are different from healthy cells. The other test used to diagnose cervical cancer is the HPV DNA test, which tests cells for infection with any type of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can result in cervical cancer.
7. Eye Examination
This is an important part of a woman’s full body checkup and involves checking the health of an individual’s entire eye, including the eyeball, nerves, and muscles. While it must be undertaken every one or two years, individuals who wear spectacles or who experience pain, discomfort, or blurry vision must consult a medical professional immediately.
8. Diabetes Screening
Diabetes is a condition that involves the body’s inability to produce sufficient insulin or its inability to use the insulin it produces. Women with diabetes are at a high risk of developing vision loss, kidney disease, depression and heart disease. It can also impact sexual and reproductive health. For this reason, women must undertake periodic blood tests for diabetes to prevent its onset.
9. Check Bone Density
A bone density test is a health screening test that acts as an excellent preventive care measure against conditions like osteoporosis. This is a condition that is characterized by bones becoming brittle and weak, allowing them to crack or break under mild pressure.
Individuals must undertake a bone density test as part of the women’s health check-up list to identify and treat any early symptoms of osteoporosis in a timely manner.
10. Colon Cancer Screening
This cancer develops in the colon, situated in the large intestine. It can grow from small clumps of cells known as polyps. Polyps usually don’t have any symptoms. Hence, medical professionals often recommend regular screenings so that polyps can be identified and removed before they become cancerous.
The above-mentioned health screenings for women can help identify and treat health issues before they grow into serious health conditions that impair the individual’s quality of life. Individuals can book women’s health checkups and important blood tests for females at Dr Lal PathLabs for accurate and timely test results.
FAQs
1. What are the most important health screenings?
The most important health screenings include blood pressure tests, blood sugar tests, cholesterol tests, cervical cancer screenings, and diabetes screenings.
2. What tests do I need as a woman?
Women must consider health screening tests for blood pressure, STDs, breast cancer, cholesterol, colon cancer, skin cancer, cervical cancer, diabetes, eye health, and bone density.
3. What are common health screening tests for women?
The common health screening tests for women include tests for blood pressure, blood sugar, breast cancer, cholesterol, colon cancer, skin cancer, cervical cancer, diabetes, eye health, and bone density.
