The thing is, not everyone will need every single test listed here. For some of them, you’re only going to be recommended for the tests by your primary care physician if you are somehow considered to be at risk. However, these are screenings you can get in your 20s that can help prevent worse problems later.
Blood Pressure Test
High blood pressure affects people of all ages. In fact, having high blood pressure at a younger age indicates that you have a higher probability of developing cardiovascular issues such as heart disease later in life. If you monitor and treat your high blood pressure now, you can prevent so many problems down the line and maybe even save your life.
Cholesterol Test
The lipids (fat) in your blood can start to build up in your arteries, which can then harden and turn into plaque that might cause you to have too narrow passageways. This can lead to heart attack and stroke. Monitoring your cholesterol and using that information to adjust your diet or use medication can help prevent heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues later in life.
HIV and Other STD Tests
The problem with STDs is that they’re a lot more prevalent than people realize. You don’t have to live in a big town to contract an STD. The only way to really help yourself in this case is to get tested frequency so that you can get treated sooner rather than later. Even if you have HIV, the treatments today (when you get them early) can help you live a normal life.
Skin Cancer Check
Since you’re so young right now, it’s not likely that you have skin cancer caused by the environment or sun exposure. However, getting your skin checked yearly is a good idea because you can avoid allowing problems that you don’t know about to get worse. Skin cancer is highly treatable with early detection.
Breast Cancer
While women in their 20s have the lowest incidence of breast cancer, it still happens. Getting screened early can alert you to any issue you have, such as genetic risks and other factors that can contribute to your likelihood of getting breast cancer. Having a baseline to compare is also helpful so that breast changes are caught sooner rather than later.
Diabetes Test (A1C)
Getting tested for diabetes is important too because with type II diabetes, you can reverse it most of the time with proper diet and exercise. And for sure, you can treat it with medication if that doesn’t work. It’s just a simple blood test that called an A1C that will show an average of your blood sugar level over a period.
Cervical Cancer
You should get a pap test every three years if your test is normal. If it’s abnormal, you may need to get one more often. The screening can help you catch any cancer cells early, thus avoiding illness and harsher cancer treatments by just removing the cells.
Obesity Test
Okay, there is no real “test” for obesity, other than the scale and comparing your weight on charts. But the truth is, if you are considered obese by medical standards or even insurance standards – regardless of how much you love yourself just the way you are – you’re at more risk for many illnesses and even death.
Trying to maintain a normal weight range is very important to good long-term health. You can be obese all your 20s and even your 30s and not suffer ill effects, but you will when you get older.
Hepatitis B Test and Tuberculosis Test
Testing for these illnesses, especially if you travel abroad on a regular basis, is a good way to get fast treatment for serious illnesses that will reduce the severity substantially. People do walk around with these diseases without even knowing it, infecting others as well as getting sicker themselves.
It’s important, no matter how you feel, to get at least one physical each year from your primary care doctor or healthcare professional. By doing this, you’ll ensure that you get any important preventative healthcare such as vaccines, while also ensuring anything you have is treated early to avoid complications as you age.
