We are the people who know our body and mind the best, so it is often the case that when something doesn’t feel or look right, we are aware pretty quickly. But we can further improve what we know about our general health by making at-home checkups (checkups we do for ourselves) part of our daily routine.
Quick At-Home Health Checks: What is an at-home health check?
You probably know where your moles are and what they look like. You know what your breasts look like and how they feel. Or testicles. You usually know how your skin looks and can tell when there is a new pain.
We tend to know what is our version of normal, and because of that, when we check these things regularly, we know what is not normal. Doing checks at home can be one of the best things to do regarding early detection, prevention, and/or cure.
Health checks you can do at home
Heart
Our heart is a hard-working muscle, but we often take it for granted until something happens. You can’t physically check your heart like you can with your testicles, breasts, or moles, but there are still things that you can do. You can purchase at-home monitors for blood pressure and heart rate. But what can be incredibly important is ensuring you are active and keeping an eye on your waist size.
If you feel flutters, judders, or anything unusual, it is always smart to head to your doctor.
Skin
You might not be able to see all of the parts of your skin, so if you have a friend, partner, or family member willing to help – that is a great idea! Anywhere often exposed to the sun should be checked for new moles or moles that have changed. Any rashes or bumps can be checked out if you are worried, but a pharmacist can often give you the right topical creams.
Breasts
A breast check should be done regularly; breasts change over time and over the span of a month with hormonal fluctuations. Some of the symptoms to look out for are lumps, swelling, dimpling, rashes, nipple changes, swelling in the armpit, and discharge. A doctor should check any changes in the breast, and you may be sent for a mammogram.
Testicles
Examine each one at a time; gently pinch the forefinger and thumb around the skin. You are looking for new lumps and bumps or anything that feels like it has changed; some places might feel tender but shouldn’t be sore.
A couple of things to be aware of are a painless lump that ranges from pea size to marbles, numbness, pain or discomfort, swelling (it can also have no swelling, an ache in the groin or abdomen, lower back pain, and swelling in the leg. You might get all, none, or some of these symptoms.
In general, we could all be taking care of ourselves a little bit better, and many of us are living with a deficit of some type. Here are some vitamins and minerals to give you a healthy boost: best supplements for immunity on enhancing the body’s defense system.
