Health tests every working woman is ought to get tested for

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Are you a working woman? If yes, then you must be constantly juggling and multi-tasking to maintain the balance between work and home. And, it is obvious that you will have a huge to-do list for each day that definitely does not include any health checkup.

Most of the time, we neglect our health and don’t consider it a priority and don’t give it the importance it needs. Women, especially the women entrepreneurs are disposed to a number of health conditions due to stress, workload, improper eating habits and other factors.

All of the stress and an unhealthy lifestyle leads to a lot of problems and diseases which women are more prone to. Also, there are is a rise in other terrible diseases that can put a woman’s life at stake. And, it is a well-researched fact that women are prone to various death causing diseases than men.

Since you never know, what can affect you and when, it is important to keep track of your health to diagnose any kind of minor or major health problems early and get treated, before things start to get worse.

So, here are a few major (mandatory) tests for every woman after 30 that can help her keep a check from any severe health problems and deadliest conditions.

1. A pelvic examination and a pap smear

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of death among women in India, the vaccine for which has recently been introduced. After 30, a woman is advised to consult her Gynecologist periodically to get a complete pelvic and Pap smear test.

Though you are vaccinated, you are still advised to get tested in 3 years if the consecutive Pap smear outcomes are negative. In this test, the cervical cells are collected by inserting a swab into the vagina and sent to the laboratory for microscopic investigations.

Before you go for the test, avoid having sexual intercourse or vaginal medications for a day or two prior to the appointment. In addition, a complete pelvic test should also be done to look for any lumps or abnormal discharges.

Alert!

Generally, this test is advised at the age of 21 or within 3 years of being sexually active.

2. A complete breast examination with a mammogram

Although breast cancer is identifiable, it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in India. A mammogram is a digital and specialized X-ray of breast tissue. Every woman is recommended to undergo a regular breast cancer screening, as the risk of cancer keeps increasing with age.

Hence, it is suggested for every woman of age over 40, or any woman with a family history of breast cancer to get the annual mammogram test done. The earlier it is discovered, the lower is the chance of risk.

Alert!

A complete-self breast examination must be done every month alongside the yearly examination by experts. Breasts are examined for any kind of lumps, thickness, pain, tenderness or unusual discharge.

The nipple’s position and direction are also noted. In case of any amiss, you need to report it to your gynecologist immediately.

3. Bone mineral density test

Osteoporosis, a common degenerative condition of the bones where calcium and other vital minerals leach from the bones, makes them weak and brittle. After menopause, this condition affects 80% of women. This happens because of lower levels of the hormone – estrogen, that plays a protective role for bones in women.

DEXA scan is a bone mineral density test which involves a specialized X-ray that screens your hips, spine, and wrists while you lie flat on the table. The scan measures your bone strength and assesses your bone’s risk of fracture. This test is recommended for women once they achieve menopause or if they have had a fracture.

Alert!

You are never aware of your low bone density, though you might have it since long. So, it is advised to have this test once in 5 years after 30.

Other Important Tests

• Thyroid Test

Hair loss, weight gain, brittle nails, and exhaustion are a few symptoms of underactive thyroid or Hypothyroidism. Women are very much prone to this because of the major hormonal changes during pregnancy, delivery, and menopause.

It is advised to get tested for this once every year after the age of 30 years.

• Diabetes Screening

It is a blood sugar test that helps in diagnosing diabetes and pre-diabetes. Diabetes is becoming common and is detected at a much younger age than before. This has a huge impact on a women’s health and has tremendous long-term complications.

This test is done after taking in a sweet drink or say, sugary drink with a prior fasting of 10 hours. This test is usually recommended, if you have a strong family record of diabetes, or if you are overweight and also in cases of blood pressure and heart diseases.

• Lipid Profile Test

This test checks for the good and bad cholesterol with triglycerides and the total levels of cholesterol. Higher levels of cholesterol accumulation affect the health of your heart, brain and blood vessels.

Fasting for 12 hours is required prior to the test. This test is recommended after the age of 30 and once a year after.

• Vitamin D Test

Vitamin D is one of the vital nutrients for healthy bones. This nutrient also protects your body from heart diseases, diabetes and also a few types of cancer. And, most importantly it plays a major role in improving the immune system.

The major source of vitamin D is exposure to sun, and Women these days are hardly exposed to the sun, which is a leading cause of a deficiency of Vitamin D in them. There is no particular symptom or age to consult the doctor for this test, but if you are noticing pain in limbs or have low bone density, then it is recommended to consult the doctor as early as you can.

Bottom Line

These were some of the tests that you must keep in check to keep a track of your good and sound health. Apart from this, there are also a lot of women suffering from infertility out there, for which they visit various fertilization centres to get treated and have babies.

But finding the right doctor and right hospital for all of these tests and treatments is a task in today’s world. In that case, you can take help from agencies, websites or Apps that deal with appointments or hospital bookings. 123.clinic is one such website that aces to help you in getting in touch with the right doctor.

These agencies find the best doctor at the right place (clinic or hospital) to get yourself treated for all kinds of problems. You can totally trust their suggestions as they strive to do the best for their users and are honest with their reviews and opinions.

So, with all this ease and help by your side, don’t wait for the symptoms to show up; you are in charge of your life, so take charge now!!

Be proactive towards your health can spare you the trouble, time, money and most importantly your “Life”.