Key Health Checks Women Shouldn’t Miss

We all need to look after our own health, but it’s important to look out for the health of your loved ones too. You can’t force anyone to do something they don’t want to do, but you can gently encourage them to pay attention to their health. If you have any health concerns about the women in your life, it can sometimes be difficult to bring them up. However, it’s a good idea to be aware of some of the issues that women can face and what they should be doing to stay healthy. These are some of the key health checks that women should have, especially as they get older.

Cervical Smear

Cervical smears are one of the health checks that are important for relatively young women. Most types of cancer that affect women get more likely as you age, but cervical cancer is more common for younger women. Having a smear test can be embarrassing and intimidating, but it’s important to check for the presence of abnormal cells or HPV. If anything unusual is picked up, it might require further investigation at a colposcopy clinic. A colposcopy uses a small camera/microscope to take a closer look at the cervix to spot any abnormalities.

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Mammogram

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer for women. It affects mostly women over 40, although it is possible for younger women to get it. From their 40s or 50s (depending on which experts you listen to), women should begin having mammograms. However, there’s no need to wait until this age to perform self-examinations. This is something all women should do regularly to check for any changes in their breasts. In fact, men should do this too! Men can get breast cancer, even though it’s rarer, so look out for any changes such as lumps or changes in skin appearance.

Bowel Cancer Check

Bowel or colon cancer is another type of cancer that becomes more likely as you get older. Fortunately, testing for it is actually relatively simple. You can even do it at home. An at-home testing kit allows you to take a stool sample and send it to be tested. This cancer screening should start from around age 60, and men should have it too. It can be a lot easier to take care of your health if you’re both there to encourage each other and prioritise important tests.

Osteoporosis Screening

Osteoporosis is an age-related disease that involves the weakening of the bones. Anyone can get it, but it’s more common in women. There is some disagreement about whether routine osteoporosis screening should be performed, due to a few factors such as the reliability of the tests. It’s often diagnosed after a fracture and can then be treated with medication to improve bone density. Osteoporosis is another condition that men should look out for too, although it’s less common for men.

Help look after the women in your life by making sure they have these important health checks to keep them healthy.