If you’re like many women, you too often let your own health needs slide, in favor of caring for others. Here’s how to take better care of yourself, by focusing on these five top health concerns for women.
Contributed by: Donald Wiper, Department Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology
May is Women’s Health Month — no better time than the present to take charge and improve your health. One of the best ways to protect your health is through prevention, and that starts by seeing the right doctors at the right time. Whether it’s your OB-GYN, your primary care provider or a specialist, each plays a key role in guiding you through screenings, checkups and conversations that help catch issues early and keep you feeling your best at every stage of life.
1. Heart Health
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. To protect your heart health, get annual screenings to check cholesterol and blood sugar levels (which can indicate a potential problem), and ask your doctor about your personal risk factors, like smoking and family history. It’s also smart to know the warning signs of a heart attack, which often are different in women: chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness in arms and sometimes nausea and vomiting.
2. Cancer Screenings
Staying on top of recommended cancer screenings is one of the most effective ways to catch potential issues early when they’re easier to treat. Your OB-GYN typically provides cervical cancer screenings like the Pap smear, which checks for abnormal cells on the cervix, as well as clinical breast exams. They can also refer you for a mammogram, generally recommended starting at age 40, or earlier if you have specific risk factors. Primary care providers can also guide you through these and other vital screenings, including colorectal cancer screening, which is now recommended for everyone at average risk starting at age 45.
3. Sexual and reproductive health
From your first period until you’re past menopause, addressing issues around sexual and reproductive health is vital. Younger women may want to discuss birth control options and address menstrual difficulties like irregular or painful periods, which could signal a serious problem like endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome. Your doctor can also screen you for sexually transmitted diseases. If you want to become pregnant, a health check beforehand is a smart idea. And talk to your doctor about any issues that come up as you enter the perimenopausal and menopausal years.
4. Bone health
Osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and vulnerable to fractures or breaks, happens with age and is more common in women than men. But you can protect your bone health by eating foods high in calcium, which helps you build and maintain bone when you’re younger, and by getting regular exercise, especially weight-bearing moves like strength training, dancing, jogging and the like. Ask your doctor if a bone density test is right for you, depending on age and risk factors.
5. Mental Health
Issues around your emotional and behavioral health can crop up at many life stages, such as perinatal and postpartum depression, or changes around menopause. If you are feeling anxious, depressed, more stressed than usual, or are having trouble sleeping, ask your doctor to refer you to a professional.
Take Charge of Your Health This May
Whether it’s your first visit to an OB-GYN as a teenager, or you’re looking for menopause care and everything in between, we’re here for you. To make an appointment, call 216-778-4444. To learn more about Women’s Health at MetroHealth, visit metrohealth.org/obgyn.
