Our bodies change as we age and the 30s are the perfect decade to start prioritizing our health. Adopting a proactive approach to our wellness is crucial for maintaining health and staying ahead of any potential issues.
That’s why, once you hit this decade, it’s time to schedule regular medical exams. In this article, we’ll discuss all the key medical exams you should schedule in your 30s – from blood works and urine tests to procedures such as X-rays and ultrasound. Let’s dive in.
Annual physical exam
An annual physical exam is a key medical exam you should do regardless of your age. This yearly checkup will usually vary from doctor to doctor, and it can be either brief or thorough. During this checkup, you should bring up any health concerns you may have.
A more comprehensive exam will include assessments of your height, weight, blood pressure, as well as heart and respiration rate. Your physician may also send you to do a Doppler Ultrasound and lab tests. Â
All in all, annual physical exams are something that can help you maintain your health and help your doctor understand the bigger picture regarding your health.
Complete blood count (CBC)
This type of blood test is meant to assess your overall health and identify any potential disorders such as infections. Once you hit your 30s, your doctor may ask for a CBC test if they suspect anemia. In some rare cases, this test can also detect blood cancer.
Lipid profile or cholesterol test
By conducting this test, you can find out if you’re at risk of heart disease. Doing this test can be a great preventative measure.
Screening for diabetes
There is more than one test that can detect the amount of blood glucose. Each of these tests works differently but they can all detect high levels of glucose in blood.
Diabetes is a disease that can cause blood sugar to reach high levels. That’s why these tests are usually recommended every three years starting at age 35 so that preventative measures can be taken well in advance.
Thyroid function tests
Doing these tests regularly after you hit your 30s can help you find out if your thyroid gland is underactive or overactive.
For women, the thyroid gland also plays an important role in menstrual cycles and fertility. So, if you struggle with irregular periods or infertility, these tests can help you diagnose or rule out thyroid function issues.
Tests for cancer in women
As mentioned, the 30s are the age when some of the major changes happen to our bodies. Women in their 30s might notice menstrual cycle changes, fertility decline, changes in breast tissue, metabolism changes and so much more. This is why it’s crucial to follow all these changes and be proactive about them. For instance, doing different types of tests can also help in early detection of cancer.
Women over 30 should do mammography, clinical breast exams, and Pap tests. Each of these exams can help reduce the incidence of different types of cancers.
Cancer screenings for men
Men over the age of 30 should also do some proactive medical exams to check for cancer. The most common type of cancer in men is usually prostate cancer, so it would be ideal to annually do a PSA blood test that can detect prostate cancer at an early stage.
For colon and rectal cancer you can do different types of tests. Guaiac-based fecal occult blood test and fecal immunochemical test can be done annually. In case any of these tests turn out to be positive, your physician will send you to do a colonoscopy.
Bone density screening
If you or your physician suspect osteoporosis, you’ll be required to do a bone mineral density (BMD) screening. To measure your bone mineral density, you will need to do a DEXA scan.
Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by low bone mass that can affect both men and women. However, women past menopause is at the highest risk. That’s why this test is particularly important for women.Â
Liver and kidney function tests
These are two separate tests that can help determine how well your liver and kidney work. A liver function test (LFT) is a blood test that checks for liver damage and helps determine potential liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatitis.
You can discover how well your kidneys function with two different tests. One is Albumin to Creatinine Ratio test and the second one is the glomerular filtration rate. This latter one is performed through a blood test.
Mental health screening
Last but not least, every person at the age of 30 should do a mental health screening. Our fast-paced lives and lifestyles in this decade create a lot of tension, stress, and anxiety. All of these can lead to depression.
To avoid any potential mental health problems, perform a mental health screening annually. This test will require you to answer some quotations related to your feelings, moods, sleep routines, appetite, and similar. Afterward, you will discuss these questions with a therapist.
Conclusion
It doesn’t take a lot to be proactive about your health and wellness. Our 30s are usually the decade when we have the most lifestyle changes, more responsibility, work-related stress and so much more on our plates. This is also why this decade of our lives is so fragile, and we need to take measures to protect our health.
So, make sure you schedule these key medical exams and address any potential issues early on.
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