Start the Year in Good Health
It feels good to know that we are in good health when we remain committed and attentive to our wellness. A great way to make sure that we are doing this is by addressing which significant check-ups are approaching or overdue. Speaking with the right medical professionals can reassure us of our healthy paths or give us insight as to what can be done to improve our overall well-being. Dr. Margaret Lott shares more about five different wellness check-ups to take into consideration when seeking to start the year off in the right direction.
YEARLY PHYSICAL EXAM
Scheduling a yearly physical exam is one of the best steps you can take to start the year off right. It is recommended that adults see a primary care physician once a year to assess their overall health. Your doctor will review your body mass index, or BMI, which is a measure of your weight compared to your height in order to screen for obesity. They will check your blood pressure and offer screenings for chronic diseases such as diabetes and high cholesterol.
Checking for these conditions is essential as they can go undetected for many years before a person notices symptoms. However, by the time symptoms are detected, underlying organ damage to the heart, kidneys and eyes has already occurred. The good news is that this is entirely preventable – first through awareness and second, by engaging in healthy lifestyle behaviors and if need be, starting medication. Additionally, your doctor will advise if you are due for protective vaccinations such as the shingles, flu and/or the HPV vaccine. Most yearly physical exams and age-appropriate testing are covered by your health insurance at no cost.
MAMMOGRAM
Early detection of breast cancer is key to increasing a woman’s chance of survival. Breast cancer survival rates are exceptionally good (>95%) for women who have detected breast lesions early. Mammograms are performed to screen for breast cancer. They are a recommended wellness check-up for all women starting at 40-50 years of age and should be performed every one to two years. Some women with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer may benefit from starting screenings at an earlier age and may also meet criteria for genetic testing to look for genes such as BRCA, which can increase their overall risk.
PAP SMEAR
Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women worldwide. In the United States, we are extremely fortunate to have access to cervical cancer screening. This allows for the detection and treatment of early cervical lesions in the precancerous stage, before they progress to cervical cancer. This is lifesaving and has resulted in an 80% decrease in incidence of cervical cancer in the past four decades. The development of the HPV vaccine is further helping to decrease prevalence of this preventable disease.
Pap smears are recommended for women starting at 21 years of age until 65 years of age. The American College of Gynecology (ACOG) recommends pap smears be performed every 3 years in women under 30 years of age and every 5 years in women over 30 years of age, if they have had previously negative tests. Pap smears can be performed by a gynecologist or a trained primary care physician. This quick and easy procedure as a part of your wellness check-ups can be life- and fertility-saving!
COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING
Our hearts were collectively saddened when we learned of the passing of our beloved Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman from colorectal cancer. His early and unfortunate loss can be used as a motivator to have ourselves and loved ones screened for this preventable disease. Colorectal cancer can be prevented when screening is performed early and consistently. Current guidelines recommend that adults begin screening at 50 years of age. Some people with risk factors such as a strong family history may benefit from earlier screenings.
As it relates to wellness check-ups, screenings can be performed in one of two ways. An individual may decide to have a colonoscopy, a study where a doctor uses a camera to directly visualize the colon to look for polyps that can be removed before they become cancerous. This test is typically performed every 10 years, however if polyps are found, it is repeated every one to five years. The less invasive screening option is a yearly stool test which looks for blood in the stool. This is often an indicator that polyps are present, in which case a colonoscopy would then be recommended. Talking to your doctor about colorectal cancer screening is an excellent way to start the year in good health.
OSTEOPOROSIS SCREENING
Osteoporosis is a common condition of age-related bone mineral density loss. It increases the risk for fractures, particularly of the hip and spine. Hip fractures are a major cause of morbidity for older women. Fortunately, the risk for sustaining such a fracture can be mitigated by early identification and treatment of osteoporosis. When it comes to wellness check-ups, it is recommended that women over the age of 65 are screened for osteoporosis. This can be done through a bone mineral density test known as a DEXA scan. This can be performed every 2 years. The DEXA scan provides your doctor with a T score that places women in three categories: osteoporosis (T score less than 2.5), osteopenia (T score 1.5-2.5) or normal.
Patients with osteoporosis will benefit from treatment to rebuild their bone mineral density such as bisphosphonates. Women with osteopenia and osteoporosis benefit from calcium and vitamin D supplementation as well as increasing weight bearing exercise such as walking and aerobics.
Margaret Lott, MD is an Internal Medicine-Pediatric physician who provides Primary care services to adults and children in South Florida. She completed medical school at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Dr. Lott has a passion for working with women of all ages and helping her patients live long, healthy lives through the prevention and treatment of chronic medical conditions.
