Healthy Lives Require Preventative Tests

By Tanjua Damon

Regular visits to the doctor are sometimes last on people’s lists of things to do. But as birthdays pass and time goes by bodies need to be taken care of. Preventive maintenance is always something to keep at the forefront in order to live long and happy lives.

Martha Moulton, a residency-trained, board-certified family practitioner with Brookfield Family Medicine, encourages people to take care of their bodies by eating right, exercising, and by going to the doctor for regular physical examinations. Exams can prolong life by identifying diseases and other health problems while they can still be cured.

Family history is an important piece of everyone’s medical wellbeing, according to Dr Moulton. Men and women should know what types of diseases or health issues their families members –– especially parents and grandparents –– have dealt with in the past. Family histories are a vital place for doctors to begin looking into a patient’s health concerns.

“Family history is very important,” Dr Moulton said. “The [family members] we want to know about are the ones who in their 50s and 60s had these things.”

These health issues normally include breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Women should have a Pap test at age 18 or earlier, if they are sexually active. A Pap smear is taken to check for cell abnormalities as well as cervical cancer. Women who have a history of abnormal pap smears should be checked for the human papillomavirus, which puts women at a greater risk for cervical cancer. Women should also be checked for genital warts, which have been found to be a cause of cervical cancer.

Self breast exams should be conducted every month after menstruation. Breast cancer used to be considered an “old woman’s disease,” according to Dr Moulton, but women of any age are at risk. Doctors look at the maternal history of women for risks of breast cancer.

Women without a family history of the disease should have mammogram screening between 35 and 40 then every other year from 40 to 50 and yearly after age 50. Women with a family history should be checked at least 10 years before the age of the family member who was affected by the disease.

A woman should be checked for ovarian cancer if she has abdominal bleeding, pain, or pain with intercourse. A blood test, CA 125, can be used along with a physical exam and ultrasound when looking for ovarian cancer.

Men should do testicular exams once a month starting in their 20s. The high-risk group for testicular cancer is men age 15 to 35, according to Dr Moulton. If a lump or pain is detected a doctor should evaluate the person immediately.

When a man turns 50 he should be tested for prostate cancer. The test should be administered yearly. The PSA blood test is often used to detect prostate cancer along with a digital rectal exam.

Tests that are needed by both men and women include those for colon cancer, skin cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease.

Colon cancer screening should begin at age 40 and yearly after that. An annual fecal occult blood test and a sigmoidoscopy should be done. Every ten years a colonoscopy should be preformed, starting at age 50. If there is a family history of colon cancer a colonoscopy should be done every three to five years.

Anyone who has symptoms of rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, or change in their bowl habits should see their regular doctor.

Everyone should have a doctor check his or her skin every year to two years. Skin cancer screenings can begin even with young children when they visit the pediatrician. People should wear sunscreen when out in the sun and avoid tanning booths in order to prevent skin cancer, according to Dr Moulton.

Doctors may ask their patients about their use of cigarettes and alcohol. These questions are asked as ways to determine the risk for lung cancer, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, and stomach cancer.

Exercise and diet are also important. People should maintain good diets with low fat and low cholesterol as well as portion control. Drinking water is important too. Regular exercise is also recommended.

“People are brainwashed by the fashion industry saying we need to be skinny and tanned,” Dr Moulton said. “But we really need to be asking ourselves if we are eating the right things and giving our bodies the right fuel. Are we focusing on our health.”

There are many things patients can do to prevent diseases and to help prolong and enjoy a happy, healthy life.

“What you really want to think about is most medical problems are treatable if picked up early,” Dr Moulton said. “If you don’t come to see a doctor, you’re not going to know. Eating right and exercising are the best way to combat stress. It’s something we do because we love ourselves. We want to live long lives with our families. We deserve to be well treated.”