Hey guys, putting off routine doctor visits means you’re also delaying preventive health screenings that in many cases can identify cancer, heart disease, or other serious health problems early. Here’s a guide to the health screening tests that every man needs.
Cholesterol Test
Having high cholesterol levels in your blood can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, which increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.
A cholesterol test measures LDL (bad cholesterol), HDL (good cholesterol) and triglycerides (a type of fat linked to heart disease and stroke) in the blood. In most cases, you need to fast for 10 to 12 hours before this test. Men at average risk for heart disease should have their cholesterol checked every four to six years. Those with risk factors like heart disease, diabetes, or a high cholesterol family history will need to be screened more frequently.
Blood Pressure Test
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common disease that develops when blood flows through your arteries at higher-than-normal pressures. High blood pressure usually doesn’t cause symptoms, but having it increases your risk for heart disease, stroke, and chronic kidney disease, among other conditions. Men under 40 who don’t have any risk factors for high blood pressure should have their blood pressure checked at least once every two years. Men 40 and older or those with risk factors should have their blood pressure checked at least once every year.
Colonoscopy
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States, and death rates for colon cancer in adults between the ages of 20 and 54 have increased since the mid-2000s. Regular colonoscopies can detect polyps and remove them before they have a chance to turn cancerous.
The American Cancer Society recommends that adults at average risk for colon cancer begin having screening colonoscopies at age 45 and repeat them every 10 years. If you have a family history of colon cancer you may need to begin having colonoscopies at an earlier age and have them more frequently.
Eye Exam
The older we get, the higher our risk becomes for developing numerous age-related eye conditions, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma, all of which can lead to blindness.
While primary-care doctors conduct routine eye exams during checkups, an eye specialist (an ophthalmologist or an optometrist) can do a dilated eye exam, which checks your visual acuity, how well your eyes move, and the structures of the eye such as the cornea, pupil, lens, and retina.
All men should have a dilated exam by age 40, or earlier if they have a personal or family history of eye disease. From there, the frequency of your exams will range from every two to four to every one to three years depending on age, your personal vision, and family history.
Prostate Cancer Test
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. When caught in its early stages, it’s extremely treatable.
Doctors use a blood test called a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to check for prostate cancer. The higher your PSA levels, the more likely it is you have prostate cancer.
PSA screenings are not recommended for men under 40 years of age, or men under 54 years of age at average risk for prostate cancer. For men ages 55 to 69, the decision to undergo PSA screening is a discussion men should have with their primary care doctor.
Other health screening tests that may be needed depend on one’s personal risk factors, including lung and skin cancer screenings as well as those for sexually transmitted diseases. Prevention is always the best cure.
