One
major way to prevent anyone from suffering because of illnesses, is to
go for certain medical tests. For the men, these are medical tests you
should take right away.
Admit it, guys: You don't even like going to the doctor when
there's something wrong, let alone for preventative check-ups. But being
proactive about your health—by getting recommended screenings for
serious conditions and diseases—could mean you'll spend less time at the
doctor's office down the road.
Depending on age, family history, and lifestyle factors, people
need different tests at different times in their lives. Here's a good
overview for all men to keep in mind.
1. Diabetes
You may never need a screening for diabetes if you maintain a
healthy weight and have no other risk factors for the disease (such as
high cholesterol or high blood pressure). But for most men over
45—especially overweight men—a fasting plasma glucose test, or an A1C
test, is a good idea, says Kevin Polsley, MD, assistant professor of
internal medicine at Loyola University Health System in Chicago.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also recommends
diabetes screenings for overweight adults younger than 45 who have a
family history of the disease, or who are of African American, Asian
American, Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander descent.
Fasting plasma glucose and A1C are both blood tests that should be
done in your doctor's office. The A1C test does not require fasting
beforehand, but if your doctor wants to test you using fasting plasma
glucose, you will be asked not to eat or drink anything but water for
eight hours beforehand.
2. Sexually Transmitted Infections
Even if you've been in a monogamous relationship for years, it's
not a bad idea to get tested if you haven't already done so. Many common
sexually transmitted infections can go undiagnosed for years. For
example, people can go as long as 10 years without showing symptoms of
HIV. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that everyone
ages 15 to 65 be screened for HIV at least once. This is especially
important, Dr. Polsley says, if you have had unprotected sex, used
injected drugs, or had a blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985.
In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recommends a one-time hepatitis C screening for all adults born between
1945 and 1965, regardless of risk factors. "Believe it or not, there's a
lot of hepatitis C cases out there in which people either don't have
symptoms yet or don't know what's causing their symptoms," says Dr.
Polsley. "Screening for STIs is something I offer as routine at just
about every physical, regardless of a patient's age or health history."
3. Body Mass Index
You don't need to make an appointment to figure out your body mass
index, a measure of body fat based on your height and weight. Regardless
of whether you calculate this stat yourself or your physician does the
math for you, it's important to be aware of this number, says Dr.
Polsley.
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal weight. Although
this calculation isn't perfect—and can sometimes label healthy people as
overweight or vice versa—most doctors agree that it's still an
important component of assessing overall health. "It can be a very good
opportunity to discuss diet and exercise, and to show our patients how
important these things are," Dr. Polsley says.
4. Cholesterol
The American Heart Association recommends men have their
cholesterol levels tested every four to six years once they turn 20.
"Men have an overall higher risk for cardiovascular disease than women,
and high cholesterol is often a big part of that," Dr. Polsley says. But
your doctor may want to screen you earlier (and more often) if you have
heart disease risk factors such as diabetes, tobacco use, or high blood
pressure.
Cholesterol is measured by a blood test, and your doctor may ask
you not to eat for 9 to 12 hours beforehand. Generally, a cholesterol
test will measure your levels of total cholesterol, HDL (good)
cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides. Depending on your
results, your doctor may make dietary recommendations or prescribe a
cholesterol-lowering medication like a statin.
5. Blood pressure
Like high cholesterol, high blood pressure is often a symptomless
condition—but luckily, the test for hypertension is quick and painless,
involving a rubber cuff that squeezes the arm and measures the flow of
blood through a large artery in the bicep. "You should have your blood
pressure checked pretty much every time you see your doctor," says Dr.
Polsley, starting at age 18.
Don't get to the doc often? Have it checked at least every two
years, or yearly if your numbers were previously considered borderline
(a top "systolic" number above 120 or bottom "diastolic" number higher
than 80).
You can check your blood pressure at health fairs, in pharmacies,
or at home with a monitoring device. If your systolic pressure cracks
130 or your diastolic goes over 85, your doctor may recommend lifestyle
modifications—like exercising more and eating less salt—or they might
prescribe medication.
6. Colonoscopy
Most men should be screened for colon cancer beginning at age 50,
but those with a family history of the disease may benefit from earlier
testing. Men and women alike tend to dread this test—in which a small
camera is inserted into the anus and explores the large intestine for
polyps or other signs of cancer—but Dr. Polsley says it's not as bad as
it sounds.
"The preparation for the test is actually the worst part," he says:
You'll need to empty your bowels completely before the exam, which may
involve not eating solid foods for one to three days, drinking lots of
clear liquids, or taking laxatives. "The actual colonoscopy shouldn't be
too uncomfortable, because you're sedated through the whole thing."
But here's the bright side: If your doctor doesn't find anything
suspicious, you won't need another colonoscopy for up to 10 years.
7. Prostate exam
Screening for prostate cancer is more controversial than for other
cancers, says Dr. Polsley, and some studies have shown that these tests
can be expensive and unnecessary, and may do more harm than good. But he
suggests that all men over 50 at least talk with their doctors about
the pros and cons of these tests—usually either a digital rectal exam
(in which the doctor inserts a gloved finger, or digit, into the rectum
to feel for lumps and abnormalities) and a PSA test, which measures a
protein called prostate-specific antigen in the blood.
Prostate cancer screenings can and do save lives, but they may also
result in false-positive or false-negative results. And because many
cases of prostate cancer progress very slowly, some men (especially
older men) don't benefit from aggressive treatment. Whether you decide
to get screened for prostate cancer should be a decision you make with
your doctor, says Dr. Polsley. In the meantime, it's important to know
the symptoms of an enlarged prostate—like having to urinate frequently
or having trouble urinating—which could also signal cancer.
***
Via Health
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