Fall 2024 13 Women, don’t let medical conditions sneak up on you. See your doctor for an annual wellwoman exam, also known as a preventive health checkup. Screening tests, which play a major role in this appointment, can help catch health issues in their early, most treatable stages, before you even notice symptoms. “Taking the time to schedule annual exams and recommended screenings is an investment in our health,” says Riverside primary care physician Jenna Cella, DO. “While it’s easy to feel fine and think screenings are unnecessary, they can detect issues early, preventing them from becoming major problems.” Here are six tests your doctor may perform or discuss with you during your visit. Blood pressure. Checking your blood pressure can help your doctor keep tabs on your risk of stroke and heart disease. Diabetes detection. Screening for type 2 diabetes and prediabetes is recommended for adults ages 35 to 70 who are overweight. Which screening tests do you need? It depends on your age, sex, and personal and family medical history. To schedule a preventive health appointment, visit RiversideHealthcare.org/primarycare. Protect your health with annual screenings 6 important screenings for women Jenna Cella, DO, Riverside family physician Breast cancer. Are you due for a mammogram (breast x-ray)? You may want to start getting annual mammograms at age 40. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends starting annual mammograms no later than age 45. If you’re 50 to 74, a mammogram is recommended every other year. Colon cancer. Screening can find and remove polyps—small precancerous growths—before they turn into cancer. The ACS recommends colon cancer screening starting at age 45. Lung cancer. Yearly lung cancer screening is recommended for people ages 50 to 80 who currently smoke or who have a history of heavy smoking. Cervical cancer. The Pap test looks for abnormal cells in the cervix. Another screening test for cervical cancer, the human papillomavirus (HPV) test, looks for the HPV virus, which can cause these cell changes. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2MTU5NA==