Routine tests for over-50s (part 2)

Posted on 11 October 2013

You shouldn’t underestimate the role you play in maintaining your own wellbeing. If you’ve recently turned 50, ask your doctor about these must-have health screens today. General practitioner Dr Dale Cilliers at Mediclinic Panorama explains them briefly.

For men:
Digital rectal exam
Why have it? A digital rectal exam is crucial in identifying treatable problems in the colon, like colon cancer, or, in men, problems with the prostate. It’s recommended that everyone has a rectal exam at the age of 50, and that men have one every year thereafter.
What to expect? Using lubrication and a sterilised glove, your doctor will insert his finger into your rectum through the anal opening and feel the organs in the pelvic cavity to detect possible abnormalities. It may be uncomfortable but is not as painful as it sounds, and it’s all over in less than a minute.

For women:
Pelvic exam, including a pap smear
Why have it? Hopefully you’ve been having them for decades now, but you still need these routine physical exams annually because they’re the most effective and simple way to detect possible signs of reproductive disorders, such as sexually transmitted infections, ovarian cysts or early-stage cancer.
What to expect? You’ll be asked to undress and lie on your back on an examination table with your knees bent. Your doctor or gynaecologist will perform external and internal visual exams to check for abnormalities, and – because the uterus and ovaries can’t be seen from outside your body – a manual exam by palpating your abdomen and pelvis. Also part of the procedure is a Pap smear, the collection and examination of a few sample cells from the cervix in order to detect cancer or abnormalities that may lead to cancer. A few minutes of mild discomfort is well worth your peace of mind.

Breast exam and mammogram
Why have it? The earlier breast cancer is detected, the better your long-term outcome,
so it’s extremely important having your doctor examine your breasts every year. A mammogram, also recommended annually, is a low-dose x-ray taken of your breasts that can detect cancerous cells before a lump is felt. (If you’re not doing breast self-examinations yet, ask your doctor to show you how, and start checking for lumps yourself every month.)
What to expect? Each breast is compressed between two x-ray plates for a few seconds to spread out the tissue while the images are captured. The pressure may cause discomfort but isn’t harmful. You could be asked to wait while the technician checks the images, and if their quality isn’t adequate, you may need to repeat the process – but the procedure usually takes no longer than half an hour.

 

 

The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.