Essential Health Screenings for Men in their 20's

Chances are you take your car for routine checkups, or get it tuned regularly. But for our bodies, the most precious piece of machinery we own, we tend to wait for symptoms before making the effort to check ourselves out for any issues. Unfortunately, for most diseases, showing symptoms may mean it’s too late.

This is why you should visit your healthcare provider regularly, even if you feel healthy. Based on your age and health profile, your doctor will determine which tests you should have, and suggest medical exams to make sure you’re in the best condition possible throughout your life.

Going to the doctor also allows you to lead by example to other males in your life by being proactive in your health. Like working out, eating healthy, and leading a healthy life, getting screened by a physician, dentist and optometrist also shows the value you hold in taking charge of your own health. To think how many peoples' lives could have been saved if they'd been diagnosed and treated for a disease before it even presented symptoms.

Here are some check-ups every guy in their 20’s should get:

Blood Pressure Screening

• Have your blood pressure checked at least once every two years. Depending on your blood pressure, you may have to get it checked more often.

• If you have diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems, you may need to get it checked more often.

• Check for blood pressure screening locations in your area; many pharmacies offer them for free, or ask your healthcare provider if you can stop in to have it checked.

Diabetes Screening

• If your blood pressure is 130 /80mm or higher, your doctor may test your blood sugar for diabetes.

• If you have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 and have other risk factors for diabetes, you should get screened. Asian Americans should be screened if their BMI is greater than 23.

Physical Exam

• Your height, weight and BMI should be checked at every exam.

• Other things your doctor may ask you about: Depression, diet, exercise, lifestyle, and substance use.

Dental Exam

• ·Go to the dentist once or twice every year for an exam and cleaning.

Eye Exam

• If you have vision problems, have any eye exam every 2 years, or more often if recommended by your optometrist.

• Have an eye exam at least every year if you have diabetes.

Immunizations

• Check with your provider to ensure that you are up to date with your immunizations.

• Ask your provider for the HPV vaccine if you are ages 19-26 and have not received it in the past/not completed the flu vaccine series.

Other

Talk with your provider about colon cancer screening if you have a strong family history of colon cancer or polyps, or if you have had inflammatory bowel disease or polyps yourself.

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The tests your physicians decide you should have and how often you have them depend on your individual health conditions. Some other medical exams suggested might be screening for testicular cancer (including monthly self exams), cholesterol testing, electrocardiograms for heart disease. You may need to take blood tests for thyroid disease, liver problems or anemia. Depending on risk factors, you may be recommended screenings for skin cancer, STI’s, HIV or alcohol abuse.

References

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Recommended immunization schedule for adults aged 19 years or older, United States, 2020. www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/index.html. Updated February 3, 2020. Accessed April 18, 2020.

American Academy of Ophthalmology website. Policy statement: frequency of ocular examinations - 2015. www.aao.org/clinical-statement/frequency-of-ocular-examinations. Updated March 2015. Accessed April 18, 2020.

American Dental Association website. Your top 9 questions about going to the dentist - answered. www.mouthhealthy.org/en/dental-care-concerns/questions-about-going-to-the-dentist. Accessed April 18, 2020.

American Diabetes Association. 2. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: standards of medical care in diabetes - 2020. Diabetes Care. 2020;43(Suppl 1):S14-S31. PMID: 31862745 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31862745/.

Atkins D, Barton M. The periodic health examination. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 12.

Grundy SM, Stone NJ, Bailey AL, et al. 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the management of blood cholesterol: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines [published correction appears in J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019 Jun 25;73(24):3237-3241]. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;73(24):e285-e350. PMID: 30423393 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30423393/.

Meschia JF, Bushnell C, Boden-Albala B; American Heart Association Stroke Council, et al. Guidelines for the primary prevention of stroke: a statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2014;45(12):3754-3832. PMID: 25355838 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25355838/.

Ridker PM, Libby P, Buring JE. Risk markers and the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. In: Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 45.

Siu AL; US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for high blood pressure in adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2015;163(10):778-786. PMID: 26458123 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26458123/.

US Preventive Services Task Force, Bibbins-Domingo K, Grossman DC, et al. Screening for skin cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2016;316(4):429-435. PMID: 27458948 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27458948/.

US Preventive Services Task Force website. Final recommendation statement. Colorectal cancer screening. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/colorectal-cancer-screening. Published June 15, 2016. Accessed April 18, 2020.

US Preventive Services Task Force website. Final recommendation statement. Hepatitis C virus infection in adolescents and adults: screening. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/hepatitis-c-screening. Published March 2, 2020. Accessed April 19, 2020.

US Preventive Services Task Force website. Testicular cancer: screening. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/testicular-cancer-screening. Published April 15, 2011. Accessed April 19, 2020.

Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al. 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines [published correction appears in J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018 May 15;71(19):2275-2279]. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;71(19):e127-e248. PMID: 29146535 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29146535/.