Health Screening: Finding Disease Before Symptoms Start

What screening is

Screenings are tests that look for diseases before you have symptoms. They can find diseases early, when they're easier to treat.

• Some screenings can be done in your doctor's office.
• Others need special equipment, so you may have to go to a different office or clinic.

What doctors commonly screen for

• breast cancer and cervical cancer, in women;
• colorectal cancer;
• diabetes;
• high blood pressure;
• high cholesterol;
• osteoporosis;
• overweight and obesity;
• prostate cancer, in men.

Which tests you need

That depends on your age, your sex, your family history, and whether you have risk factors for certain diseases.

After a test: ask when you'll get the results, and whom to talk to about them.

Sources

Based on "Health Screening," MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, drawing on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; a work of the United States government in the public domain.