Important Medical Exams For Millennials

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

With more and more millennials skipping annual health screenings in favor of a quick visit, doctors fear that America's largest generation may go through serious high health problems. There are 83 million Americans ages 22 to 37, and according to a November 2018 survey by the organization, the Kaiser Family Foundation, 45% of 18-29 and 28% of 30-39 do not have a doctor of primary care. The problem is that health conditions that can be detected early can slip through the cracks.

Dr. Niket Sonpal, an adjunct professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York City, offers 5 health screenings that millennials should receive this year.

1. Blood pressure tests

You will want to check your blood pressure at least once every 2 years and every year if the highest number is from 120 to 139 or the lowest is from 80 to 89. High blood pressure is linked to diabetes, which is really affecting millennials. According to the CDC, between 2001 and 2015 adolescent obesity rates increased 30%. When they were children, millennials

were part of a 'supersize' culture, where all fast foods came in large quantities, said Dr. Sonpal.

2. Eye Exams

Millennials grew up wrapped up in technology and their eyes are reaping the cost of this. Millennials are estimated to spend more than 12 hours a day consuming media, most of them on mobile devices on screens that are closer to the eye. This leads to myopia where the eye becomes weak and cannot see clearly from a distance. Many millennials will find themselves squinting to see things that are further away, may have headaches, and rub their eyes frequently. "They are exploiting medications such as ibuprofen for headaches associated with eye fatigue and neck pain from prolonged work on the computer. This leads to stomach problems, "Dr. Sonpal warned.

3. IBS and digestive exams

We must also consider that the foods we eat today are full of antibiotics and hormones. Millennials are a generation whose diet was primarily filled with processed foods. We see a lot of celiac disease (gluten intolerance). A study in the journal of the National Cancer Institute found that from the mid-1980s to 2013, the incidence of colon cancer has increased most rapidly among people ages 20 to 29, by 2.4 percent per year. “The case here is that they have stomach problems and self-medicate without checking with a doctor. This may be the beginning of something serious. If you have chronic stomach pain, see a doctor. Gut health is incredibly important to overall well-being,”Dr. Sonpal advised.

4. Mental Health Assessment

Millennials are a stressed out generation. The problem is that they feel disconnected from themselves and lost with the life they live. They feel that they are not enough and then they scroll through their Instagram networks and see people their age with luxury watches while traveling to Europe and Dubai and feel desperate, stressed and depressed because their life is not like that. They are popping the Xanax and exploiting the alcohol. The good news is that millennials are willing to talk about their feelings, and studies show that this is the first generation to see no stigma about consulting a therapist or mentor. Sometimes a breakup or layoff can trigger a downward spiral into depression or even addiction to drugs or alcohol.

5. Annual exam and immunizations

It is recommended that you get the flu shot every year. Another important vaccine is for HPV that was mentioned earlier. Dr. Sonpal noted that the HPV vaccine has expanded coverage and is important in preventing certain types of cancer. Other vaccines may also be recommended depending on your health history. The only way to know is to have an annual physical exam.

Dr. Sonpal encourages millennials to undergo these tests, either at the beginning of the year or the month of their birthday, so they can easily remember the last time they went to the doctor for these tests.