The Life Saving Health Tests For Your 20, 30, and 40 Something Year Olds
As we get older, our bodies can often have bigger risks of certain diseases with age. Regular checkups are vital in keeping your health on track, and you need to be aware of signs that can cause trouble. Getting older means that you will be responsible for maintaining these checkups for yourself to prevent diseases that can come with each stage of life.
While it can be annoying at times to schedule all of these appointments, recognizing that they are important for your health and can spot implications early on makes it easier to get yourself to the doctor. The following are the important health tests you need to get in your twenties, thirties, and forties.
20’s (twenties)
Starting at age twenty, there are several tests you should start getting regularly starting with a pap smear. This will test you for cervical cancer and should be done every three years, or as instructed by your doctor. A regular checkup can also verify that you are disease free so you can continue living life as normal.
You should also start getting regular skin cancer screenings to check for melanoma each year. You can also check yourself at home between doctors visits by looking for irregular moles, spots, or bleeding. If you do notice an odd mole or sign of skin cancer, make an appointment to see your dermatologist immediately.
Annual blood pressure and cholesterol tests are also recommended starting at age twenty to check for any risks of heart disease, strokes, or kidney failure. The pressure test is a simple test that is simply done with the arm cuff that inflates, so it’s not uncomfortable or intrusive, and the cholesterol test is done by checking your blood.
30’s (thirties)
You should continue with the tests that are done in your twenties (pap smear, skin cancer, blood pressure, and cholesterol) as well as start getting a thyroid test done. The thyroid produces hormones that keep your metabolic rate in check, so an under active or overactive thyroid can lead to unexpected weight gain or weight loss. This is checked by a blood test, and your doctor will be able to tell you when you need to get it checked again based on the test results you receive.
40’s (forties)
Again, you should continue with the previous tests, but you should now have a couple more tests to check up on regularly. Early in your forties, a mammogram should now be included on a regular basis to check for breast cancer and can detect cancer in early stages when no other symptoms are spotted. In between mammograms, you should do regular inspections on yourself to check for lumps in your breasts as an indication of something awry.
It can be hard to keep check of every test you need to take, so have your doctor set reminders for you and keep them in a place you will remember. Many offices offer courtesy calls when your next appointment is due, so be sure to utilize this service if you have trouble keeping the dates of your appointments organized.
Health Checklist for Women Over 40| Webmd
Get Tested: Medical Tests For Women in Their 30s| Womenshealthmag
What health screening tests do people in their 20s and 30s need?| Sharecare
