Women and matters that
concern the female gender are on the front burner of most discussions this
week. Why? There have been week-long activities lined up by stakeholders,
international organisations and the corporate world to celebrate women who have
excelled in life.
However, as the
celebration goes on, women must ask themselves one crucial question: do they
value themselves especially their health? For instance, only a few women above
the age of 40 reading this article have done a mammogram.
Studies have shown
that women generally spend more money on cosmetics, shoes and clothes than they
do on their health.
Given a choice, it is no
exaggeration to say that many Nigerian women would rather spend N30,000 on
‘aso-ebi’ (party cloth) than pay the same amount for a cervical cancer vaccine.
Experts, however, warn
that women are at a greater risk of dying of quite a number of diseases
compared to men. Examples abound that more women die of breast cancer compared
to the number of men that die of prostate cancer.
Statistics show that 26
Nigerian women die daily of cervical cancer; yet the disease is preventable and
curable.
Doctors note that
detecting these diseases at an early stage makes them easy to cure. Therefore,
every woman must take responsibility and ensure her own safety and wellbeing.
Here are the lists of
screenings doctors recommend every woman must undergo.
Self-breast examination
Oncologists (cancer care
specialists), note that the diagnosis of breast cancer starts with the woman,
who is observant and takes action when necessary.
Professor of Oncology
and Radiation at the College of Medicine, University Of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu
State, Ifeoma Okoye, notes that a major reason why women who had breast cancer
in the past died in spite of access to treatment is late presentation at the
hospital with the disease.
The oncologist
recommends that women of all ages should examine their breasts every month and
report unusual changes to a doctor for medical examination.
She states, “It is
important for every woman to perform self-breast examination every month. If
you notice anything that is odd, especially a lump that hurts you while you are
doing it, you need to see the doctor.
“If it is painless, you
should also see the doctor. There are painless lumps that are also cancerous.
Early detection starts in your youth.
“Breast cancer is no
longer a disease of the old. There are young women with breast cancer and this
explains why every mother should teach their female children how to carry out
the examination.”
Pap smear test
The Pap smear test
checks the cervix and the vagina of a woman for any abnormal cells that could
develop into cancerous cells. Ideally, the test should be conducted as soon as
a woman turns 21 and should be repeated every three years. Once she turns 30,
she can wait five years between tests unless she senses any abnormal changes in
her body.
Mammograms
Doctors recommend that
every woman should undergo a mammogram screening after the age of 40.
Mammograms are a low-dose X-ray that screens your breast and other surrounding
tissues for cancerous lumps that may be too small to feel during a regular
breast exam. Always remember that early detection of breast cancer can lead to
a cure.
Osteoporosis X-ray
Many women face weakened
bones after menopause. This puts them at a greater risk of osteoporosis where
weakened bones begin to deteriorate. The osteoporosis X-ray is recommended for
women after the age of 65. The screening includes a dual energy X-ray
absorptiometry that measures the bone marrow density and determines the risk
for osteoporosis before the fracture occurs.
Ovarian cancer screening
Ovarian cancer affects
women between the ages of 50 and 75. It kills approximately 15,000 women each
year. Therefore, women should do this exercise regularly. During the exercise,
the doctor performs a pelvic examination to check for ovarian cancer in the
exposed vulva and then proceeds inwards to check the uterus and ovaries for the
same.
Heart disease screening
Heart disease is the
number one killer of women. A future president, mother, wife, scientist,
sister, and boss dies roughly every minute from it. More disheartening still:
most, if not all of these deaths are preventable, trailing a wake of modern
preventative care, drugs and surgery.
Heart disease rates
among men have been steadily declining, while women’s rate of decline has been
slower. A very important factor?Women’s heart disease symptoms can look starkly
different from men’s. Contrary to the pervasive myth that you have to go down
on a shag rug clutching your chest and wailing in pain to be having a heart
attack, women frequently experience subtle and often dismissible symptoms
they’re trained to ignore, like problems breathing, fatigue, stomach aches, and
a vague sense of uneasiness. Many women think they have the flu, acid reflux,
or are just plain exhausted.
Statistically, women are
significantly more likely than men to have their heart disease symptoms ignored
by a health care provider or hospital. They are also twice as likely to die in
the first year after a heart attack.
Heart disease kills more
women than men each year. Therefore, it becomes important that women above the
age of 50 along with women who have a family history of the disease should
undergo yearly Electrocardiography screening to monitor their heart for any
abnormalities.
Reference:
punchng
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