Though men can develop health issues at any age, it’s typically not until their late 30s and 40s that they start to pay closer attention to their health needs. This often means men will skip regular check-ups with their doctors while in their 20s, in addition to practicing a few bad habits, such as smoking, drinking, or poor diet.
These types of habits can lead to serious health issues later on, so it’s important to get your preventative care back on track with regular health screenings.
What Are Men’s Health Screenings?
Health screenings, whether for men or women, are a series of medical tests performed by your doctor in order to check for health issues and illnesses—many of which are related to your age.
Screenings are typically done before you develop any signs or symptoms of a disease. In fact, the goal of screenings is to catch a condition as early as possible, since the sooner a disease or illness is detected, the less invasive and more successful the treatment often is.
What Types of Health Screenings Do Men Need?
As noted, screenings are often determined based on your age group, but your doctor may request specific tests if you have a family history of a particular illness, or you smoke or are overweight.
Men ages 18-39
Typically, during this age range, men may need to visit their clinician only once every three years to undergo a general health exam, which may include checking your blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as a blood test and urinalysis.
Again, depending on your health history, as well as your lifestyle, your clinician may require additional tests or recommend that you attend screenings more regularly. For instance, if you are sexually active, your clinician may recommend screenings to test for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or other infections.
Men ages 40-49
After the age of 40, your clinician may recommend you undergo blood pressure and cholesterol screenings annually or every two years.
Type 2 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed in men over 40, but, again, it can still occur at any age. As most men have undergone some type of major life change by this age, including marriage, kids, career changes, or financial investments—or sometimes, all of the above—your doctor may also screen for depression and stress disorders, which can not only affect your mental health and wellness, but also your physical health.
Men ages 50-64
Once men reach the age of 50, it’s recommended that they visit their clinicians for general exams and screenings annually. The reason is men are at higher risk of developing certain cancers, such as colon cancer and prostate cancer after 50.
Therefore, in addition to general wellness exams, you’ll be asked to undergo a colonoscopy. This type of screening is traditionally performed once every 5-10 years, depending on your health.
Cardiovascular health is yet another important area of men’s health that your doctor will start to closely monitor after the age of 50.
Men 64 and older
Men 64 and older will benefit from visiting their clinicians annually. As with the previous age group, you’ll be screened for certain cancers that men are more at risk of developing in their later years.
It’s important to note that in addition to medical screenings, regularly visiting your optometrist and dentist is equally important in practicing preventive care as you age.
Benefits of Men’s Health Screenings
Your diet, lifestyle, and family’s health history will all factor into your long-term health needs. Therefore, it’s important to attend regular screenings with your doctor to ensure your healthcare team is able to detect and treat conditions before they develop into serious issues.
If you’ve been putting your health on hold, now is the time to take a proactive role in your men’s health journey. And this starts with EveresT Men’s Health.
At EveresT, we offer complete, comprehensive medical exams to evaluate all areas important to a man’s health. This includes monitoring your testosterone levels, important vitamin levels, blood levels, and body composition.
As each man is different, every program is designed to address your individual needs, as well as help you reach your goals, whether that is increasing your libido and energy, achieving weight loss, or helping you quit smoking.
Start Your Journey Today!
To learn more about our comprehensive services and experienced team, we invite you to schedule an appointment today at one of our three clinic locations.
We’re here to help you reach new heights and start feeling confident about your men’s health journey.
At EveresT, age really is just a number. Learn how we can help!
