As a woman, it is incredibly important to take the time to focus on your health and engage in preventative care. Self-exams are one of the best ways for you to spot potential signs of any underlying issues that could be serious if not caught early enough.
Read more to learn about simple but effective self-exams that can be done from the comfort of your own home.
1. Monthly Breast Self-Exam
Women should perform a self breast exam in front of a mirror every month to keep track of changes in shape, size, and appearance. Checking for lumps or dimpling of the skin are signs that should be looked for during this exam.
2. Pelvic Exam
A woman can perform a simple pelvic self-exam at home to check for any tenderness or swelling that could indicate reproductive system issues. This involves gently pressing around the pelvic area and lower abdomen with the fingertips in order to identify any unusual pain or masses in the organs of the lower body.
3. Abdominal Self-Exam
At home, women should also conduct an abdominal self-exam by placing one hand lightly on their stomach and palpating around it to check for any areas of tenderness or abnormalities. Any discomfort should be reported to a doctor right away as this can be an indication of an infection or other medical condition.
4. Skin Self-Exam
Performing a regular skin self-examination is one way women can stay aware of any changes in their skin health, such as moles that have changed size or shape, developing rashes, or other irregularities like redness and swelling.
5. Lymph Node Self-Check
Women may also want to keep up with their lymph node health by giving themselves periodic examinations from head to toe searching for swollen nodes which could indicate an infection or other form of illness going on inside the body such as cancerous cells forming in certain areas of the body like lymph nodes where these cells tend to congregate together first before spreading further out into other areas throughout the body.
6. Heart Rate Monitoring
Women should also track their heart rate periodically at home using either a heart rate monitor device worn on the wrist or simple finger pulse count exercise done regularly over time to chart any increases in heart rate which could indicate underlying medical conditions such as high blood pressure, arrhythmia, stroke risk factors etc.
7. Blood Pressure Tracking
Keeping track of blood pressure readings is another important part of women's health that can be assessed at home. Without requiring someone else’s assistance, you can use your fingers to feel the pulse on the inside of your wrist or instantly use automated machines available at drugstores often referred to as “blood pressure kiosks.”
Knowing which preventative tests to get throughout the different stages of life can be daunting, but with these self-exams, you can stay proactive in monitoring changes with your body, without any trips or doctor visits.
However, if doctor’s visits give you a better peace of mind, check out our blog about 11 Essential Health Screenings Every Woman Should Know.
