Many men delay or avoid visiting their doctor for an annual checkup. It’s a simple, essential step for staying healthy, but men skip it for a variety of reasons. They feel fine. Maybe they're a tough guy and it feels wimpy. Or they just think it's too big a hassle.
And while doctors and other health care workers are here to help with problems, seeing a doctor every year can catch issues early, before they become problems. That can mean less intrusive treatment, less interruption in your routine, less expense and a better quality of life.
Ask yourself this: Do I really want my next experience with a doctor to come lying flat on my back in the ER?
Consider this observation from Dr. Cara Doyle, who treats stroke patients at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte.
"I can't tell you how many men come into the hospital with a stroke for the first time, and I ask, 'What are your medical problems?' And they'll say, 'None that I know of, Doc.' Then they tell me they've never seen a doctor: They have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, they're smoking — and their stroke could have been prevented if they just saw their doctor for screening once a year."
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To that end, here's a basic checklist of screenings that all men should have. Almost all of them can be done during an annual physical exam.
Health screenings for men in their 20s and 30s
This is a good time to catch things before they lead to chronic conditions that will need to be treated for the rest of your life.
- Weight check
- Blood pressure check
- HIV screening
- Syphilis screening (men who have sex with men, have multiple partners, or have a new partner)
- Depression screening
- Alcohol, smoking and substance abuse screening
NOTE: if there are risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure, smoking, or a family history of cardiovascular disease, your doctor may screen for diabetes and cholesterol.
Health screenings for men in their 40s
- All of the same screenings you had during your 20s and 30s
- Diabetes screening
- Colonoscopy at 45
- Cholesterol screening
- Prostate cancer (in some cases, depending on background and family history. A PSA test is included in routine lab work that comes when blood is drawn.)
Health screenings for men in their 50s
- All of the same screenings you had through your 40s, plus:
- Prostate cancer screening
Health screenings for men in their 60s and 70s
- All of the same screenings you had through your 50s, plus:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening
Remember: These are the basics. Depending on your age, lifestyle, family history and other factors, you may be screened for lung cancer, undergo various heart tests that can catch issues early and other screening procedures.
