Checking You Out

A yearly wellness physical is important for every member of your family. And it becomes doubly so as you get into your 40s and beyond. "That's the age things start to happen," says Dr. Anthony Komaroff, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and editor-in-chief of the Harvard Health Letter. "People in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and older have symptoms that could be worrisome and should be looked at." But what, exactly, constitutes a thorough health screening? Depending on your age, here is what your doctor should be doing at a minimum.

• Check your height and weight to compare to later years.
• Check your blood pressure.
• Re-immunize you for inoculations whose effectiveness lapsed since you were a kid, such as tetanus and pertussis.
• Check your cholesterol levels once in your 20s.
• Men: Check your testicles for lumps of other abnormalities.
• Women: Examine your breasts for lumps.
• Women: Perform a pelvic exam and Pap smear. Most women should get a Pap smear at least every three years. Ask your doctor about the right screening schedule for you.
• Ask if there are any personal concerns you'd like to discuss.

• Check your height and weight.
• Women: Examine your breasts for lumps.
• Women: Perform a pelvic exam and Pap smear. Most women should get a Pap smear at least every three years. Ask your doctor about the right screening schedule for you.
• Do a blood pressure check.
• Schedule a mammogram.
• Check your cholesterol levels. If they're normal, you can have them rechecked in five years.
• Check your fasting blood sugar levels for signs of diabetes.
• Suggest a colonoscopy, if you're at high risk or have a family history of colon cancer.
• Perform a full-body examination for suspicious moles or skin lesions.
• Check your vaccination history and give any you need, such as tetanus-diphtheria or flu shots.
• Listen to the heart and lungs, and check the abdomen, thyroid glands, and lymph nodes for any abnormalities.
• Ask if there are any concerns you'd like to discuss.

• All of the above, as well as:
• Recheck your height and weight. The height recheck shows if you are shrinking, a possible sign of osteoporosis, says Dr. Donald Hensrud, chair of the division of Preventive Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. And added weight, of course, seriously affects health in many ways.
• Schedule a repeat colonoscopy if you haven't had one in the last 10 years.
• Mention the pneumococcal vaccination -- it helps protect against pneumonia. And ask about the shingles vaccination. Continue getting yearly flu shots.
• Perform a bone density scan.