What medical tests should a man living in a relatively developed area take regularly to check for most common diseases? I'm interested in monthly and yearly basis.
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Great question! I have added the male tag because this differs strongly between men and women.– NarusanMay 30, 2018 at 19:44
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4Just a clarification - Tests by themselves will not prevent health issues. They will detect existing health issues, and/or possibly predict them, but they won't prevent.– JohnPMay 30, 2018 at 19:53
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2Just a caveat, but what needs to be tested is going to depend a lot on individual factors such as age, prior medical history, geographic location, and a host of other factors. Any comprehensive answer to this is going to require a lot of exceptions.– Carey Gregory ♦May 31, 2018 at 1:30
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Here are some "tests" you can do at home: the scale. 1) Weigh yourself once a month. Keep a record. If you creep (or rush) up or down ten pounds during the course of a year, see a doctor. 2) Frequency of urination. Difficulty with urinating. Sweet odor, etc..Any continuing, noticeable changes from the norm, see a doctor.– GordonMay 31, 2018 at 3:37
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I give two simple "tests" you can do at home, so I don't intend to be comprehensive here. P.S. when I mention weight loss or gain, I mean unexplained loss or gain. Obviously if one is on a diet, they may expect to lose weight, etc.– GordonMay 31, 2018 at 3:59
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2 Answers
Tests that one may want to do annually:
- Blood pressure; increased BP is a risk factor for heart disease
- Checking your skin for moles, which can develop into cancer
- Blood cholesterol and triglycerides (lipid profile); increased levels are risk factors for coronary heart disease
- Blood glucose to check for diabetes mellitus
- Dental check for caries
- Eye examination
- PSA test for prostate cancer
- Fecal blood test, colonoscopy and other tests for colorectal cancer ( for those with a family history of colorectal cancer)
- Computed tomography or other tests for lung cancer (for smokers)
I'm not aware of any recommendation for monthly tests for healthy men.
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You should also check for testicular cancer - you can google on how to do this. Many, many men die from not doing so. Jul 16, 2018 at 13:30
One cannot undergo medical tests to prevent common diseases. Instead, the purpose of those tests is to know the "Current" health status of a person.
Once it's known, then one can take precautionary measures to prevent common diseases!!
There are different sets of medical tests for different age groups, e.g. Men over 50 years of age are requested to undergo a "PSA test" every year to prevent the risk of prostate cancer.
Basically, the medical tests depend on a lot of factors such as, man's age, his body type, eating habits, his job, geographical area and many more! Hope this helps.
Ref link: Age for Prostate exam.
Thanks for the update! @DoctorWhom
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Basically, it depends on a lot of factors such as, man's age, his body type, eating habits, his job, geographical area and many more! Hope this helps. This doesn't really answer the question.– NarusanJun 29, 2018 at 11:22
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Not sure that’s a great example. Routine PSA testing in the absence of symptoms doesn’t improve survival, and is likely to decrease quality of life due to unnecessary treatment. About the only things that might be worth doing in the western world in someone with no apparent disease or family history are dental checks and bowel cancer screening (faecal, not with a ‘scope).– rhialtoJun 29, 2018 at 23:46
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1Even when screening with PSA is recommended, it's yearly not q 6 months Jul 1, 2018 at 6:52
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"One cannot undergo medical tests to prevent common diseases." as @Jan already pointed out, regular blood glucose and blood cholesterol testing can prevent diabetes and heart disease. See Jan's answer above yours. Jul 13, 2018 at 7:25