WELLNESS
C H E C K U P O N Y O U R H E A L T H
A little prevention
goes a long way
DON’T
let illness sneak up on
you. Paying attention to your health,
even when you feel fne, can make
staying well easier in the long term.
Regular screening tests and
checkups with a doctor are good
ways to take control of your health.
Tese exams can make it easier to
spot problems early, when treatment
is ofen more efective. Tey might
even prevent a
problem from
developing in
the frst place.
Before your
checkup, you
should review
your family medical history. Your
doctor will want to know if close
relatives had health conditions such
as heart trouble, stroke, diabetes or
cancer.
Also, tell your doctor about any
changes in your own health. Tat
includes new lumps, skin changes,
pain, dizziness, sleep problems, or
changes in eating, bowel or urinary
habits.
Your doctor can then recommend
which preventive health services
and screenings you should have and
when you should have them.
Which screenings are for you?
Some of the screenings that your
doctor might recommend could
include tests for:
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Cholesterol.
Tis is a blood test
recommended for most men starting
at age 35 and most women starting
at age 45. High cholesterol is a major
risk factor for heart disease.
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Blood pressure.
Have this
checked at least once every
two years. High blood pressure
increases risks of heart and kidney
disease and stroke.
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Diabetes.
If you have high blood
pressure or high cholesterol, you
should get screened for diabetes.
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Colorectal cancer.
Most adults
should have their frst exam at age
50. Ask your doctor which of several
available tests are right for you.
Women should
also consider
screening tests
for breast cancer,
cervical cancer
and osteoporosis.
Mammograms
are usually recommended every one
or two years starting at age 40. Pap
smears are often done every one to
three years after becoming sexually
active or upon reaching age 21. A
bone density scan should be done
at least once beginning at age 65.
Men should talk to their doctor
about the risks and benefts of
prostate cancer screening. Also, it’s
recommended that men who have
smoked 100 or more cigarettes
during their lifetime have an
abdominal aortic aneurysm test
between ages 65 and 75.
Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
If you are younger than 50, the most
common prostate problem you may face
is prostatitis, a swelling or infammation
of the prostate often caused by an
infection.
Among the ways the condition can
take hold:
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Chronic prostatitis, or chronic pelvic
pain syndrome, is the most prevalent but
least understood form of the disease. It
can afect adult men of any age. Symp-
toms include discomfort or pain in the
genital area and urination problems.
These symptoms can come and go with-
out warning. Your doctor may give you a
Prostatitis—painful, yes, but treatable
medication to relax muscle tissue in your
prostate. You may also be told to change
your diet or take warm baths.
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Acute bacterial prostatitis is the least
common but easiest-to-diagnose form
of prostatitis. Symptoms include chills,
fever, pain in the lower back and genital
area, body aches, and painful and fre-
quent urination. It can be treated with
antibiotics.
For more information on this and
other urinary conditions, call David
Leibel, DO, in the CMH Specialty
Clinic at
503-338-4075
.
Source: National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
To find out which screenings
are recommended for you, make
an appointment to see your
doctor, or find a physician at
www.columbiamemorial.org.
www . columbiamemorial . org
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