Receive Screenings From Your Medical Doctor

Getting Older? Speak to Your Medical Doctor About These Screening Tests

The years fly by and before we know it, our joints seem to snap, crackle, and pop more than our cereal. Ageing is a natural process that is sometimes difficult to navigate. With the right support and mindfulness of overall health, however, you can age gracefully and enjoy wellness and vitality well into your advanced years. Partnering with a medical doctor you trust will ensure that you not only improve your health, but receive regular screening tests that help you stay on the ball when it comes to your wellbeing.

Prevention is Better Than Cure

As people get older, the risk of developing certain diseases also increases. By the time many patients seek help for a symptom, the condition behind it is already at an advanced stage. Regular screening tests will help you and your GP rule out or detect any concerns, which means a higher chance of successful treatment. Here are just a few of the screenings you can discuss with your medical doctor but it is important to note that this is by no means an exhaustive list:

• Checking blood pressure: Hypertension is a common condition that may lead to strokes or heart attacks.
• Testing cholesterol: This may also reduce one’s risk of cardiovascular disease and strokes.
• A colonoscopy: Patients over 50 years of age should receive a colorectal cancer screening every five to ten years.
• Mammograms: Women over 45 should undergo a breast examination and mammogram every year.
• Cervical and prostate cancer screenings: For women, regular pap smears and cervical pelvic examinations will detect cervical and vaginal cancer early.    Men should also have their prostates checked every few years, especially if cancer runs in the family.
• Periodontal examinations: While this is performed by a dentist and not a medical doctor, regular oral check-ups should occur annually, with a visit to a    dental hygienist every six months.
• Vision and hearing screenings: Gradual loss of vision and hearing may not be noticeable at first, so it is imperative to get these tested often.
• Osteoporosis screenings: Women over the age of 65, in particular, are prone to this condition, so testing bone density and strength is essential.
• Regular vaccinations: Speak to your medical doctor about this year’s flu vaccinations and a tetanus booster shot, which for many elderly patients could    be life-saving.

Other necessary preventative measures include diabetes tests, vitamin D tests, mental-health evaluations, and visiting a dermatologist to screen for skin cancer. To find a medical doctor that will walk a road with you, treat you with care, and help you take the right steps to improve your health, book one online at Intercare today.