Think again.
Just because you FEEL fine doesn’t mean you ARE fine. Yes, your outward presentation may reflect a picture-perfect bill of health. However, you don’t really know what’s going on with your body until you delve into its inner workings.
This is why skipping common medical tests shouldn’t happen. Period. Common medical tests can be essential in the early detection of underlying health issues. For example, a simple blood glucose test can indicate the presence of prediabetes and diabetes, and a two-minute cholesterol test can be a predictor of heart disease and plaque buildup.
The moral of the story is that skipping these tests only hurts you and the people you love. You’d rather know about and control a health issue rather than letting it go until it’s too late, right?
This week, consider getting with the program and scheduling those tests you’ve been avoiding. You may be 100 percent fine, and that’s a good thing. However, you just may learn something that could save your life.
Here are eight common tests that doctors may prescribe, one of which is ordered in emergency situations.
- Blood Glucose Test and A1C
Diabetes is a disease associated with impaired blood glucose levels. This killer health condition affects more than 29 million Americans. However, more than 8 million of those people don’t know they have it.
Prediabetes has become a health epidemic that is thought to affect 86 million Americans. That’s one out of three people. Unfortunately, nine out of 10 people are unaware that they are living with this health condition. Left unchecked, 15 to 30 percent of people affected by prediabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes within five years.
Some factors may put you at a higher risk of developing the disease than others. For example, being overweight can elevate your risk of developing diabetes, and so can smoking risk. Leading a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to the chance of developing diabetes.
To determine whether a person has high blood sugar levels, healthcare professionals will perform a blood glucose test. Abnormal blood glucose levels can be an indicator of diabetes.
This test involves a simple prick of the finger. It's done before you know it. However, blood glucose levels associated with screening are usually tested after a patient has fasted, making it a test for which you need to plan.
Doctors may also perform an A1C to determine whether or not you have diabetes. This test does not require fasting.
- Cholesterol
- Comprehensive Metabolic Profile
Cholesterol testing is important because it can predict the risk of plaque buildup. Also known as a lipid panel or lipid profile, this simple blood test tells healthcare professionals your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Because this health issue is mainly asymptomatic, testing is essential. Plus, high cholesterol can be a predictor of heart disease.
According to Medline Plus, a comprehensive metabolic panel refers to a group of blood tests. These tests are used to give a snapshot of your chemical balance and metabolism.
This test can show a number of things about the body, like overall kidney and liver function. In addition, it includes blood sugar, cholesterol and calcium testing. Sodium, potassium, protein and chloride levels are also tested during this procedure. Abnormal results can be indicative of underlying health issues.
- Complete Blood Count
- Mammogram
A complete blood count tells healthcare professionals a number of things about your body. For example, it gives your white blood cell count. High numbers of white blood cells can be an indicator of infection. It can be used to measure platelets, hemoglobin and several other conditions. This helps doctors diagnose medical conditions like anemia and cancer. Plus, it can be used to monitor current health issues.
This test is one that you are most likely aware of, but younger readers may need a refresher.
A mammogram is used to detect abnormal breast masses. This x-ray of the breast can show tumors and calcium deposits that may indicate breast cancer. So mammograms are the go-to test in middle-aged women and women with known risks of breast cancer.
Mammograms are also important because they can detect cancer before a patient notices signs or symptoms. That’s why mammograms are considered to be life-saving procedures.
(In addition to a mammogram, ultrasounds or other tests may be prescribed in women who have dense breasts in which mammograms may not pick up abnormalities.)
- Pap Smear
- Troponin
- Thyroid Test
A pap smear is a preventive procedure that all age-appropriate women should have.
Pap smears are used to examine cervical cells to look for changes associated with cervical cancer. This is especially important in sexually active women because cancer may be asymptomatic.
“Pap smears can detect early precancerous changes on the cervix,” says Johnathan Lancaster, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the department of women’s oncology and director of the center for women’s oncology at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, in an interview with Everyday Health. “These changes can be easily treated, thus dramatically reducing the risk of progression to cervical cancer.”
In addition, Pap smears may be combined with HPV testing. HPV testing screens for the human papillomavirus, which is the most common sexually transmitted disease in America. These tests are important because HPV can lead to cervical cancer. In fact, two strains of HPV are said to account for 70 percent of cases of cervical cancer.
According to the National Institutes of Health, troponin is a muscle protein that helps muscles contract. Injury to the heart or muscles can result in troponin leakage. As a result, blood levels rise. This is said to happen during heart attack, which is why troponin tests are prescribed when patients experience signs and symptoms associated with heart attacks.
The thyroid gland regulates the body’s metabolism. So when doctors see signs associated with abnormal metabolism, thyroid tests are prescribed. These blood tests measure levels of thyroid hormones.
The most common test used is a TSH. According to the American Thyroid Association, this test can indicate hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). Low TSH levels may indicate an abnormal pituitary gland.