7 Medical Tests Every Adult Should Get to Prevent Serious Diseases
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Irrespective of what your age is, at the end of the day, it all boils down to leading a healthy life. And how is that achieved? By making sure you are healthy, wealthy, and wise. And according to us, making sure that we are on good terms with our health throughout is like creating a self-made boon. And staying fit and healthy requires a lot of effort — getting your regular checkups done, to keeping an eye on your nutritional intake — it all matters!
And if you are a teen entering the phase of adulthood in life, it’s even more important to get a series of health checkups done, mainly because it is during this phase that a lot of hormonal changes occur in our body (1).
We don’t just love our readers, but also care about them. Ergo, we put in some effort and made this list of 7 medical tests that you should go for. Getting these screenings done will prevent you from contracting deadly diseases in the long run.
1. Get The Skin Checks Done Right
Skin is the most sensitive and the largest working organ of our body. It protects us from the harm caused by the outside environment. Therefore, looking after it is crucial. Else, chances are that we could succumb to diseases like skin cancer (2). Get skin checkups done at least once a month after you’ve turned 18 years old. Skin checkups are mostly observation-based — sun exposure, fair skin, a family history of any skin problem, suspicious growths, etc.
2. Check Your Cholesterol Levels
If you have a BMI level (body mass index) that is above 30, make sure you get your cholesterol levels checked. It is through a blood test that the cholesterol level can be found out; the doctor would advise you to get it checked while fasting (not eating for 9-12 hours beforehand). The test will help you determine the levels of triglycerides – good and bad cholesterol – in our body. If your cholesterol levels are not maintained, it can lead to diabetes, chances of getting a stroke, and even a heart attack.
3. Get A Pelvic Examination Done
If you are a woman who is 21 years old or older, you need to resort to a habit of getting a pelvic examination done once every 3 years (3). The purpose of this test is mainly to determine if any sign of cervical cancer is present.
4. The Diabetes Checkup
As an adult, you need to get the diabetes checkup done at least once in two years. This is because diabetes doesn’t show any symptoms at an early age. Here is a checklist of symptoms that you need to watch out for:
- Excessive levels of exhaustion.
- Extreme thirst all the time.
- Having sores or cuts that haven’t healed.
- Forever hungry.
- Vision gets blurry.
If you face any of these symptoms, go get a checkup done immediately and take the necessary treatment.
5. Test For Hepatitis
The inflammatory condition of the liver is referred to as hepatitis. Although there can be many causes for it, a viral infection is a primary one. Liver diseases are considered to be the most silent forms of diseases as they directly affect the immune system of our body. Therefore, make sure you keep getting a liver checkup done every now and then.
Five types of hepatitis are known to exist — hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Hence, get a liver checkup done at least once a year to prevent yourself from contracting any liver-related diseases (4).
6. Blood Cancer Test
It is the blood that carries all the oxygen and supplies it to every nook and corner of our body. Hence, it is very important to get a checkup done that gives us an analysis of our blood. We all are aware of the deadly blood cancer, commonly known as leukemia. But did you know that there are 137 types of blood cancer that have been detected? Out of these, myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma are the main types (5).
And it just takes one simple blood test that helps you determine the presence of blood cancer. So, make sure you get regular blood tests done to keep a watch if your blood is healthy or not.
7. Test Bone Density
Bone density helps to determine the strength of your body. It is mostly the women who are affected with lower bone densities. Annually, get bone density checkups done. It’s a simple blood test followed by an x-ray that will help you to analyze the strength of your bones. If osteopenia (a state of low bone density) is detected in an x-ray, your doctor will advise you a considerable dosage of calcium and vitamins that you need to take on a daily basis.
We all have come across the saying “Health is wealth.” Now, it’s time we start implementing it! Never miss your regular checkups; it helps to keep a watch on your health status. Remember, you are your own health’s watchman.
