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 Mom's Health Alert
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 © 1999-2004
ClubMom, Inc. All rights reserved.
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