Screenings save lives. When combatting a condition that has the potential to leave you incapacitated or shortens your life, time is of the essence. Early identification greatly increases your chances of getting the treatment you need in time to recover. One of the best things you can do to protect yourself is to make the necessary screenings a part of your routine. Even if you are not already ill or experiencing indicative symptoms, screenings can reveal risk factors and dangerous patterns that call for Kansas City preventive treatments to reduce your likelihood of developing a serious problem. Here are 5 health problems that are commonly identified through screenings. High Cholesterol Tests for heart disease usually include cholesterol, as well as lipid and triglyceride levels. High cholesterol puts you at a much higher risk for heart disease. If your screening, which occurs in the form of a blood test, identifies high cholesterol, you will be able to make lifestyle changes to bring it down to a safer level. Exercise and a healthy diet are the primary treatment methods, and your doctor will be able to give you more specific advice relative to your own health and habits. Cholesterol screenings should typically happen every 5 years beginning around the age of 35. If risk factors such as obesity, smoking, and family history are involved, your doctor will likely want you to start screenings earlier and schedule them more frequently. Diabetes Your doctor will help you know when and how often you should be screened for diabetes. Screening is more vital for some people than others. Obesity, for example, is a risk factor that will likely require a regular test. There are several kinds of screenings, but one of the most common is a blood test taken when you are fasting to check your blood sugar levels. Osteoporosis Screenings for osteoporosis, which makes your bones dangerously fragile, usually occur after 65, as age is one of the major risk factors. Osteoporosis is indicated by a loss of bone density. Screenings use X-rays to measure the amount of calcium and other minerals in your bones. Glaucoma Glaucoma is one of the primary reasons to go in for regular eye exams. Glaucoma damages your eye, eventually to the point of blindness, but it can happen so gradually that you don't notice until you have already lost a significant amount of your vision. Once lost, you can't get it back. When glaucoma is detected, you will be able to start treatment that will slow or prevent further vision loss. Cancer Cancer can do a lot of damage before it's caught. The longer it is allowed to grow without opposition, the more difficult it will be to get the disease under control. Screening allows you to start treatment earlier, before you have even started to experience symptoms. Different types of cancer have different screening methods. Common screenings include colonoscopies for colon cancer, Pap tests for cervical cancer, and mammograms for breast cancer. Talk to your doctor about other screenings you should schedule. In many cases, your doctor will do some basic screening when you go in for examinations and take the necessary steps if something looks worrisome. For example, if your doctor suspects skin cancer, they will likely recommend that you be examined by a specialist, such as a dermatologist. Though these are some of the most common screenings, they are certainly not the only tests available. Your doctor will help you assess your risk factors and medical history to determine which screenings you need to schedule. You will be able to work together to start Kansas City preventive treatments and keep your body as healthy and comfortable as possible.
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