Gift of health
But just how often do certain tests need to be done? How old should you be to start having an annual physical exam?
Today is my birthday, and as I give thanks and celebrate with my loved ones, I am also reminded to schedule my annual laboratory tests.
I have a history of gestational diabetes and a strong family history of diabetes, so I check on my blood sugar once a year.
I tell my patients that the milestone of a birthday is one way to remember when to do that once-a-year test or to consult your doctor who keeps telling you to get a mammogram or ultrasound, a bone mineral density test or to see your eye doctor or gynecologist. One patient does all her annual tests on Valentine’s Day, saying, “Love yourself first.” One couple does them during the holiday season as a Christmas gift to each other.
Many hospitals offer what used to be called “executive checkups,” offering a whole package of tests meant to be done annually, usually required by the workplace. This has now been updated to what we know as “wellness visits.”
But just how often do certain tests need to be done? How old should you be to start having an annual physical exam?
As infants and children, we are dutifully brought by our parents to pediatricians for regular check-ups, usually for vaccinations and boosters. Once children turn 19, they are no longer under the care of a pediatrician and, unless they have a chronic health condition, most no longer see their doctors on a regular basis.
In general, all adults should have an annual physical exam. This is when your doctor will ask about your history, any symptoms you may have, current medications, check your vital signs and give you a physical examination.
It’s never too early or too late to start taking care of your health. The premise for annual exams is the prevention of illness and to catch health problems early. There are no absolutes during these examinations, and your doctor will order tests depending on your age, family history and symptoms. The frequency at which these tests need to be repeated will also depend on the results of the initial tests.
The current recommendation for colon cancer screening is to start at 50 years old for those without a personal history of colon polyps or a family history of colon cancer.
The timing of tests also depends on the likelihood that you might develop a certain disease or what your risk factors are for getting sick. So be sure to tell your doctor everything that might concern your health ---- supplements or herbal medications, previous surgeries, significant health conditions in the family.
Take colon cancer, for instance. As with most cancers, if discovered early, treatment can be curative and patients can live a long healthy life afterward. The current recommendation for colon cancer screening is to start at 50 years old for those without a personal history of colon polyps or a family history of colon cancer.
For those with a history of colon cancer in the immediate family, screening should start at 40 years old, or 10 years before the age of diagnosis of colon cancer in the youngest affected first-degree relative, whichever is earlier. So if your father was diagnosed with colon cancer at 52 years old, you should get screened at 40 years old. But if your first-degree relative was diagnosed at 45 years old, you should get screened at 35 years old. If the affected family members are second-degree relatives, having at least two relatives with colon cancer should prompt you to have an early screening colonoscopy.
Women of childbearing age and and those planning to start a family should have regular visits to their obstetrician-gynecologist. It is recommended for Filipino women to have pap smears starting at 21 years old and repeated every one to three years. Yearly mammograms should be done starting at 50 years old, but can be done as early as 40 years old, depending on risk factors and family history.
An ECG and a treadmill stress test are not usually required annually but should be considered in patients who have unusual chest pain, abnormal findings on previous ECGs and known heart disease. Ask your doctor if these or any other tests are right for you.
So, when your birthday comes around, give yourself the gift of health by getting that annual test that your doctor recommended. Go see your doctor if you haven’t in a while and ask if there are any tests you need to get done. And remember to follow up with your doctor once you have the results so you can discuss how to keep good health to celebrate more birthdays in the future.