As women age, it is important they pay special attention to their health status. This is because the body organs begin to get weak as the immune system drops, especially after 40 years of age. Even if you are in good health, you should occasionally see your doctor. Meeting with doctors helps to check for physical problems, analyze potential future medical issues and promote a healthy lifestyle.
There are several health conditions that affect women from age 40 but we will look at 10 of the most common and the screenings that should be taken to prevent and make early detections for effective treatment.
Breast Cancer Test
The two most frequent cancers in women are breast and cervical. Breast cancer can strike at any age, but the chance rises with advancing years. It is the most rampant kind of cancer affecting women around the world. In order to find the disease as early as feasible, screening for breast cancer entails actively looking for disease signs. Your outlook will improve if breast cancer is discovered and treated early.
The most common for women aged 40s is the mammograms. Women should think about getting yearly mammograms if their mother or sibling had breast cancer when they were younger. They should start getting screened sooner than when the youngest member of their family was diagnosed.
There are other kinds of breast cancer tests that women can undergo. These are:
Breast examination: To find any lumps in the breast, your doctor conducts a breast exam.
Breast ultrasound: This device scans your breasts using sound vibrations. Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI uses a magnet connected to a computer to create precise images of various breast regions.
Breast biopsy: The removal of tissue or serum from the breast and microscopic examination.
Cervical Cancer Test
Cervical cancer can affect any woman who is or has been sexually active, but it primarily occurs in women who have had HPV, are immunocompromised, have poor nutrition, and don’t get pap smears.
According to medical advice, a lady should begin getting screened for cervical cancer at age 21. Even more crucially, after the age of 40, women should undergo screening with either a Pap test every three years, an HPV test every five years, or both tests every five years. Cotesting is the term for this. After receiving therapy for the precancer cervical dysplasia, a woman should continue getting Pap tests for 20 years or until she turns 65.
A “Pap test” medically called a “Papanicolaou test” or “Pap Smear” is a medical screening that is done to find possibly cancerous and precancerous presence on the cervix.
The HPV test searches for the human papillomavirus virus, a common STI, which can lead to cervix cell abnormalities.
Blood Sugar Test
Blood tests are used to check for diabetes, and there are three reliable ones. The first is a non-fasting test known as hemoglobin A1C, or A1C, which gauges the body’s normal blood sugar over the previous two to three months. Other tests include measuring blood sugar after a fast of the previous night or after consuming a sweetened beverage, called a glucose test.
Women without diabetes risk factors should start getting screened for type 2 diabetes and prediabetes at age 35 because the chance of developing these conditions rises with advancing age.
Diabetes increases a woman’s chance of having heart disease, which can also lead to blindness, stroke and depression. Therefore it is important to have this test and also watch out for lifestyle changes that can cause a rise in blood sugar.
Cardiovascular Test
A medical report by Cardiovascular Institute reveals that one in nine women between the ages of 45 and 64 experience symptoms of a cardiovascular illness. After the age of 65, that percentage increases to one in three women, and overall, heart disease is responsible for one in five fatalities in women. Two common cardiovascular tests are blood pressure test and blood cholesterol test.
Blood Pressure Test
This test is important because it measures the blood pressure to assess the state of the heart and check for potential heart risk. Although more common in men, women nearing 40 years are more likely to see a rise in blood pressure.
Women are at risk of having blood pressure problems if they have diabetes, certain heart diseases, kidney problems, or are obese or overweight or have other health conditions. If there is a history of blood pressure in the family, women in such families are also at risk. Another indicator is the race of the women. Blacks and Hispanic women are more prone to this ailment than other races.
Certain lifestyles are needed to be encouraged to prevent a spike in blood pressure at that age. This includes the kind of food and drinks to eat. Women are also encouraged to exercise more. It is also important to have a blood pressure monitor to regularly check for the reading of the blood pressure.
Cholesterol Screening
The cholesterol screening is a blood test that measures the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Also called a lipid panel, it quantifies the levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in your blood to identify the woman’s danger for having cardiovascular disease.
Repeated cholesterol testing is advised:
- For women with normal cholesterol values, every five years
- If lifestyle adjustments take place such as weight gain and diet or if the woman is suffering from diabetes, heart illness, kidney issues, or other conditions.
Colorectal Cancer Screening
The prevalence of colon cancer is rising, and it particularly impacts women starting at age 45. Women under the age of 45 should also be tested, particularly if there is a history in the family of colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or polyps, which are colonic growth tissues.
A persistent bowel change, such as chronic diarrhea, chronic constipation, or a shift in the nature of a woman’s stool. Stool blood or rectal hemorrhage. Consistent stomach pain, cramps, or gas may be indicators of colon cancer.
There are numerous methods for colorectal cancer screening, but doctors don’t think any of them are superior to the others. Colonoscopy, which looks at the entire colon once every ten years, stool-based tests, multitarget stool DNA, flexible sigmoidoscopy, etc. are popular tests.
Low Libido
There are many explanations for why women in their 40s have low sex desire. The reason could be anything from vaginal dryness to hormonal changes. Using an estrogen cream can sometimes be the simple answer, but other times it may require more drastic action. Regardless of how severe you believe the problem to be, you should always speak with your doctor. Vaginal dryness is a prevalent condition not only in middle age but also after childbirth. It is caused by low estrogen levels from perimenopause and menopause.
Osteoporosis
Women’s bones tend to weaken and lose density as they mature, which can cause osteoporosis. At this point, bones start to deteriorate and crack. Since it affects women more frequently than it does men, women in their 40s should see a doctor if they experience any signs. Bone mineral density test is used to detect the bone strength and potential osteoporosis risk.
Eye Test
As humans age, their eyes get weakened; this is the same for women as they grow old. In doing the eye test, it is important to look for prevalent issues like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and presbyopia. Women should have eye exams every two to four years from the ages of 40 to 54 and every one to three years from the ages of 55 to 64.
Mental health
Women are more prone than men to experience mental health problems as they get older. The most frequent issues are erratic moods, anxiety, melancholy, Alzheimer’s, and cognitive decline. There are many reasons why women are more likely to experience these mental health problems, but the changing hormone levels they go through during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause are most likely to blame.