Why do old people refuse to have a physical examination? Remind parents: 7 items cannot be saved, 4 items are unnecessary
Aunt Liao from Nanjing is 56 years old and has been menopausal for more than 5 years. But since last week, she has always felt a dull pain in her lower abdomen.
The next day, my daughter took Aunt Liao to the Gastroenterology Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanyi Medical University for a colonoscopy, and everything was normal. At the suggestion of a gastroenterologist, Aunt Liao came to the gynecology clinic. During the physical examination, the gynecologist found that Aunt Liao's cervical mucous membrane was hard , and there was an abnormal hyperplasia in the cervix, which was easy to rupture and bleed when touched.
The doctor suddenly felt bad, and prescribed TCT examination and HPV screening for Aunt Liao .
Three days later, the inspection report indicated: TCT saw a small number of abnormal cells and HPV16+ (positive). Later, the doctor performed a colposcopy and cervical cancer biopsy for Aunt Liao , and the result was a diagnosis of cervical cancer .
Aunt Liao was lucky. She informed her daughter of her discomfort and was diagnosed in time . Now she has undergone surgery and the cancer has not metastasized to other parts.
But in real life, there are not many parents who tell their children about their physical discomfort like Aunt Liao. Many parents will carry the pain on their own, unwilling to bother their children, and unwilling to go to the hospital for examination. Little do they know that this may make the condition worse.
1. Why are many parents reluctant to have a physical examination?
If you try to persuade your parents to take a medical examination, you may get 10,000 rejections. In fact, many middle-aged and elderly people are reluctant to go for medical examinations because they have their own worries.
The biggest reason may be the fear of spending money . Many middle-aged and elderly people have deeply ingrained the habit of "diligence and thrift", and feel that physical examinations are a waste of money. If any serious illness is found, the treatment will also cost a lot of money. In this way, medical expenses will become a burden on the family, and it is better to save the money for their children, so they would rather not have a medical examination than let their children suffer.
In addition, they may have concerns about the physical examination process , such as worrying about pain, worrying about radiation, worrying about being deceived by hospitals or institutions, and worrying about finding out if they are not sick ... All kinds of concerns make them discouraged. Moreover, many elderly people are physically inconvenient and find it troublesome to go out, not to mention the many procedures and long queues for medical examinations. Just thinking about it makes them feel tired.
In addition, the elderly may not think that physical examination is very important, and they also lack awareness of medical equipment. They feel that they can not find out the reason , and they feel tired.
In this regard, Chen Jun , said that due to the influence of past habits and outdated ideas, the elderly tend to neglect regular physical examinations, but they are the ones who should pay the most attention to physical examinations . It is normal for the elderly to get sick. If they can be detected and treated early, they will save a lot of trouble and medical expenses in the end. Not only can they enjoy their old age, but they can also make their children feel more at ease.
2. Remind parents: 7 items cannot be saved, and 4 items are unnecessary
Physical examination is not only to be done, but more importantly, to choose the right items, not to spend "waste money", the following 7 items, it is recommended that middle-aged and elderly people not save money.
1. "Four highs" indicators
The "four highs" indicators (blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, and blood uric acid) are essential inspection items. If the "four highs" are not well controlled, they may cause various diseases in the whole body.
2. Bone Density Examination
Osteoporosis mostly occurs in elderly women. After 5 years of menopause, the calcium content in the body of women will lose about 30%. Therefore, it is particularly important to check the bone content in time. Early inspection and early supplementation can prevent fractures. If you experience symptoms such as persistent waist, pelvis, and back pain when you are over 50 years old, it is recommended to check in advance.
3. Cardiopulmonary function test
There are more than 600 million COPD patients in the world . Long-term smokers need to increase chest CT examination if necessary. If people over 60 years old have symptoms such as shortness of breath and shortness of breath during exercise, they need to increase heart and lung function screening. Women over the age of 60 are a high-risk group of coronary heart disease, and need to check the 24-hour dynamic electrocardiogram and color ultrasound of the heart.
4. Tumor markers
As people get older, the chances of human exposure to carcinogens and the incidence of cancer are gradually increasing. According to clinical statistics, among the causes of death of middle-aged and elderly people over the age of 50, cardiovascular diseases and tumors account for the majority, so tumor screening is an indispensable item.
5. Fundus examination
Fundus examination can detect senile cataract, macular degeneration, primary glaucoma and other diseases as early as possible, reflecting the degree of systemic arterial and cerebral arteriosclerosis. If you have symptoms such as blurred vision and frequent headaches in the near future, you need to do a fundus examination.
6. Gastrointestinal endoscopy
Middle-aged and elderly people often suffer from gastrointestinal diseases. Among the top five cancers in China, gastrointestinal tumors account for 3 seats ( esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer ). Most of the patients are middle-aged and elderly people. Therefore, regular gastrointestinal endoscopy is recommended examine.
7. Reproductive and urinary system examination
Male reproductive examination can check reproductive system tumors, indirect inguinal hernia and other diseases in elderly men, and urinary ultrasound can check kidneys, ureters, bladder, prostate and other organs.
For female reproductive examination, you can choose B-ultrasound of uterine appendages to screen for uterine fibroids, ovarian tumors, ovarian cysts, endometrial lesions and other diseases; for urinary system examination, you can choose leucorrhea routine to screen for vaginitis, urinary tract infections and other diseases.
In addition, it should be reminded that there is no need for the elderly to do the following 4 items, so as not to waste money.
1. Thromboelastography, hemorheology, blood vessel elasticity examination
Due to the high incidence of cardiovascular diseases, many physical examination centers will recommend such items, saying that they can detect blood fluidity, coagulation, and viscosity. These items sound very powerful, but in fact they cannot provide effective diagnostic basis and do not have medical guiding significance.
2. Pap smear examination
Many gynecological exam packages include this item, which is advertised as screening for cervical cancer, but sampling satisfaction is limited. If you want to do cervical cancer screening, it is recommended to use TCT examination.
3. Tests related to human immunity
People who choose this test almost always want to see how high their immunity is. But in fact, this test is only for patients with autoimmune diseases , and ordinary people are just looking for psychological comfort.
4. Body composition analysis
Body composition analysis is used to check the proportion of indicators such as muscle, fat, water, and bone composition in the body, but for ordinary people, this examination has no medical guiding value. This check is suitable for fitness enthusiasts and is used to guide fitness.
3. If you don’t pay attention to 4 things, the physical examination may be in vain
During the physical examination of middle-aged and elderly people, the following precautions should be kept in mind, so as not to make a waste of time or affect their health.
·Physical examination on an empty stomach
If blood collection, color Doppler ultrasound and other examinations are involved, food and water should be fasted for 8-12 hours, and greasy and iron-rich foods should be avoided 3 days before the physical examination.
·Do not stop the drug rashly before the physical examination
Patients with high blood pressure should take the antihypertensive drugs before the physical examination. Patients with diabetes should take the medicine and eat in time after the blood collection project. Whether to stop the medicine depends on the disease. It is recommended to consult the doctor in advance and follow the doctor's advice.
·Other matters
Do not drink alcohol, strong tea, coffee, etc. within 3-5 days before the physical examination, ensure adequate sleep, and avoid strenuous exercise, so as not to affect the physical examination results.
Physical examination is a guarantee for one's own health, and it is also an important matter for people's peace of mind. It is almost the end of the year. Do you have a plan to take your parents for a physical examination?
References:
[1] The two most important "cancer prevention stages" in life: under 40 years old and over 70 years old. China Medical Tribune Today Tumor. 2022-06-15
[2] At the age of 56, she did not have a physical examination on time and was found to have a high incidence of cancer! , The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 2022-09-01
[3] Chinese Medical Association Health Management Branch, Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Health Management. Expert Consensus on Basic Items of Health Examination [J]. Chinese Journal of Health Management. 2014, 8(2): 81-90.
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