Have you scheduled an annual visit with your primary care physician yet? The yearly men's wellness exam is almost always covered by insurance and is a great way to make sure you're staying on track for a long, healthy life. Your doctor can order important tests and screenings for things like prostate cancer and diabetes, which just might save your life.
What screenings or exams should you discuss with your doctor?
- Diabetes: A fasting blood test is the preferred method for diagnosing diabetes, an increasingly common disease in the U.S.
- High cholesterol: Have your cholesterol checked regularly with a blood test starting at age 35. If you're younger and smoke, have diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease, ask about the need for a cholesterol check.
- Prostate cancer: Men age 50 or older should have a PSA blood test and digital rectal examination annually to screen for prostate cancer. If you're 40 or older, but in a high-risk group (African American and/or have a family history of prostate cancer), seriously consider having this important screening.
- Colorectal cancer: A colonoscopy is a must starting at age 45, but you may need the screening earlier if you have a family history of colorectal cancer.
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm: If you're between the ages of 65 and 75, and have smoked 100 or more cigarettes in your lifetime, you should be screened for abdominal aortic aneurysm, an abnormally large or swollen blood vessel in your abdomen.
A wide variety of screenings can help identify health problems and detect diseases early, when they're easier to treat. Talk to your doctor about your health concerns to see what's best for you.