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Mom's Health Alert
Five medical tests
you can't afford to overlook.
By Dana Sullivan
http://www.clubmom.com
You know when your
child's next doctor's appointment is right down to the hour. But how diligent
are you about keeping up with your own health checkups? If you have a Pap smear
every year and leave it at that, you're not doing enough, says Dr. Vivian
Dickerson, the division director of general obstetrics and gynecology at the
University of California at Irvine Medical Center.
 "A lot of diseases that begin to develop in your
twenties and thirties, like cervical cancer and heart disease, are often silent
at first," says Dickerson. "But if they're caught early through screening tests,
they may be cured or corrected before more serious complications develop."
That's one reason to let your ob/gyn know that you're using her as your primary
health-care provider and to make sure that she's comfortable in that role. If
she assumes that you also see a family physician or internist, she may not
address issues such as skin-cancer and cholesterol screenings during your yearly
exam.
If you're between the
ages of 18 and 40, here are five important health exams and screenings that can
help doctors pinpoint disease early.
1. Breast
Exam
Ideally, you began doing
a monthly breast self-exam at age 20. If you don't know how, next time you see
your doctor, have her show you. Until then, here's a basic description: Lie on
your back with a pillow under your left shoulder and your left hand behind your
head. With your right hand, use the flat parts of your three middle fingers (not
your fingertips) to palpate your left breast. Press firmly around the breast in
a circular (clockwise) or up-and-down motion, or mentally divide your breasts
into sections and examine each one separately. Now use your left hand to examine
your right breast. Next, repeat the exam standing up, making sure to check the
armpit area. Finally, do a visual exam in the mirror, keeping alert to any
changes in the appearance of your breasts. Remember that breast tissue is full
of glands, which can sometimes swell and feel hard, probably due to hormonal
fluctuations. Also, some women's breasts are just naturally lumpy. However, it's
important that you inform your doctor of any lump or any change such as
tenderness, pain, or discharge. She can decide whether a breast ultrasound (to
check for cysts) or a mammogram (to screen for a benign or cancerous tumor) is
necessary.
How often should you
do the exam? Monthly. The best time is about a week after your period ends,
since this is when hormone levels are at their lowest and your breasts aren't
tender or swollen. If you're not menstruating, due to pregnancy or
breast-feeding, do the exam at the same time each month. And starting at age 40
(or sooner, if you have a family history of breast cancer), you should have a
yearly mammogram.
2. Gynecologic
Exam
A thorough gynecological
checkup involves both a breast and pelvic exam. The pelvic includes a Pap smear,
an examination of the vaginal walls, and possibly a check of the rectum. With a
Pap smear—recommended for all women over 18 and for any girl who's sexually
active—the doctor scrapes cells from the cervix to check for evidence of
abnormalities, which could indicate or be precursors to cancer.
How often should you
have the exam? Once a year. If you have a family history of certain cancers
or abnormalities such as ovarian cysts, your health-care provider may wish to
see you more often.
3. Cholesterol
Screening
The American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a blood test to screen for high
cholesterol starting at age 45. However, high cholesterol is associated with
coronary heart disease, so if you have a family history of heart disease, are
more than 20 percent over your ideal body weight, have high blood pressure, or
eat a high-fat diet, you should have this test done immediately, no matter what
your age. If your cholesterol is above normal, your doctor will likely recommend
dietary changes and an exercise program and may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering
medication. The most accurate test involves drawing a sample of blood from your
arm, then sending it to a lab for analysis. Don't rely on finger-prick tests
that give instant results, since they are often unreliable.
How often should you
be screened? Every three to five years, if everything is normal. If not,
this test should be done yearly.
4. Type II Diabetes
Screening
If you're of African,
Hispanic, Native American, or Asian descent or have a parent or sibling with the
disease, you're at a higher risk of developing type II diabetes—a condition in
which the body becomes resistant to insulin, a hormone that is essential in
helping the body convert food into energy. The illness often begins gradually
after age 40, most often in people who are overweight. It can typically be
controlled with diet and exercise. If you fall into a high-risk category, you
should have this test done no matter how old you are; otherwise, you can wait
until age 45. (This test doesn't screen for type I diabetes, which usually
begins in childhood or adolescence, or gestational diabetes, which affects
pregnant women.)
How often should you
be screened for type II diabetes? Every three years.
5. Skin-Cancer
Screening
Regular screenings for
skin cancer are recommended beginning at age 18. If you haven't yet had this
exam, it's important to do so. Your dermatologist or primary-care physician
should examine your skin, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet,
looking for suspicious moles, freckles, nodules, or lesions. If, during a
self-exam, you notice changes in a freckle, mole, or lesion (it's bigger than a
pencil eraser, it develops irregular borders, or it bleeds), tell your
health-care provider immediately.
How often should you
be screened? Yearly, either by a dermatologist or as part of your annual
physical. However, if you have a history of chronic exposure to sunlight (either
due to hobbies such as swimming or gardening or because of your job), have had
one or more blistering sunburns, or have a family or personal history of skin
cancer, your doctor may want to see you more often. Self-exams are recommended
at least every three months, more often if you're at high risk.
Dana Sullivan writes
about health for several national magazines and is a regular contributor to
ClubMom.
Copyright © 1999-2001
ClubMom, Inc. All rights reserved.
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