Regular prostate exams are recommended for men over age 40. Tomorrow during the celebrity-packed Stand Up For Cancer TV show, Brad Garrett will draw attention to the importance of the exam in a brand new way. He's going to get a prostate exam... on TV.

I can't imagine how -- or what -- they're planning to show on TV. After all, prostate exams are necessary, but they're not exactly fodder for family viewing. But, knowing Brad Garrett, I'm sure they'll make it humorous and humor is often an excellent way to draw attention to serious issues.

Tune in to Stand Up to Cancer on September 5th. The special airs on ABC, NBC, and CBS.

Source

Many competitive athletes have to undergo drug tests. Is drug testing for scholars in our future, too? According to the UK's Academy of Medical Sciences, certain drugs have been used by healthy people to boost alertness and mental awareness.

Aricept (an Alzheimer's treatment), Ritalin (for ADHD), and modafinil (for day-time sleepiness) have been used by some people to get an edge up on tests and exams. Like steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs used by some athletes, this gives the student an unfair advantage. Also like steroids, using drugs in ways other than they are prescribed for can be seriously detrimental to health.

Source

Do you avoid eye exams because you hate having your pupils dilated? I do. I'm avoiding an appointment right now, in fact. Last time I went for my annual eye visit, I made it out of the office without having those blurry drops dripped into my eyes. I basically whined my way out of the procedure and my doctor, who knows me well, let me get away with it. "You have to come back," she told me. I agreed to stop in at a later date so she could examine the depths of my eyes. That was months ago. I haven't been back.

Many Pearl Vision centers are now offering an alternative for babies like me, according to the April issue of Family Circle magazine. The less-invasive optomap retinal exam involves taking a digital picture of the eye then projecting it onto a screen and printing it for future exams. Sounds much better. It's more objective too. In addition to detecting eye conditions like glaucoma and macular degeneration, the test can detect systemic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Dilation is still the gold standard, though, since it reveals more of the retina. Bummer. I guess I'm still headed for this drippy test. One of these days.

For more on eye care, check out this AOL Body site.

Source

Like most women I know, I schedule my annual and semi-annual exams when it works with my schedule. I know that a midday appointment at the dentist's office will always start late, so I make those appointments early in the day. And, I don't want to see the gynocologist on the morning of my anniversary, you know?

But, according to I'm Not Obsessed, there are certain times of the day (or month) that are best for certain appointments. For example:

• Mammograms should be done during your period or the week after.
  
  
• Schedule your colonoscopy first thing in the morning.
  
  
• See your dentist for a cleaning two weeks after your period.

Wondering why? Find out here.

Source

People who get annual exams tend to worry less about their health. A review of 21 studies reveals this interesting tidbit, along with another nugget that's worth mentioning: People who have regular physicals are more likely to get screening tests, such as cholesterol checks, Pap smears, and mammograms.

If you're not getting regular check-ups, it may be because current treatment guidelines don't recommend them for people without symptoms of illness. Many doctors don't agree, though. Either do I. There are just too many conditions that progress without symptoms. Once they appear, it may be too late. Now I'm not promising that an annual visit with your doc will reveal every possible problem that may be lurking in your body. But it will keep you in the health loop, allow you to ask your medical-inspired questions, and prompt the professionals to screen you as appropriate.

My unsolicited advice on this topic: Schedule your own annual exam, get your screenings, and put your worries to rest.

Source

Let's face it, nobody enjoys going for their yearly Pap test. It's just one of those parts of being an adult that we women do because it's good for our health (and unfortunately way too many women don't bother at all). I assume men feel the same way about prostrate exams. It's not fun, but still we've got to get it done.

The good news is that apparently a new, more effective test to screen for cervical cancer has been developed. A study conducted at McGill University, which is about to published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the HPV test was able to detect pre-cancerous lesions in up to 94.6% of study participants while the Pap test discovered only 55.4%. That's a pretty major difference, especially where cancer screening is concerned.

Also, according to the article, women who receive negative results from an HPV test, which screens for the HPV virus which causes most if not all cases of cervical cancer, will only have to repeat the exam every 3 years. Unfortunately, those who have the HPV test and receive a positive result will also have to undergo the Pap test to check for pre-cancerous cells. If you want to know more about the study, take a look at the entire article here and for more information on the HPV test, consult your physician.

Source