Don’t Be Macho About Men's Health
Mens Health > Don’t Be Macho About Men's Health
Men’s health? What’s that? Curling a six pack every Saturday night? Stretching out on the couch to watch Sunday’s games? Experiencing the joy of an afternoon grilling session?
Let’s face it. Men can have a bad sense of health. Either they are encouraged to be red meat eating, beer swilling tough guys for whom health is a four letter word. Or they completely ignore health altogether and shun the doctor as if he were the dentist, and the dentist as if he were a mortician.
In the long run, this attitude can only spell one thing: disease. It’s a sad reality of most societies that men don’t live as long as women. Sure, the stress of providing for a family and the genetics of manhood may have something to do with this historical fact.
But there definitely is a role in it for how poorly men take care of themselves. When it comes to preventive maintenance, men take far better care for their cars. Women, on the other hand, for the most part go to the doctor regularly, have the proper tests done, and report problems as soon as they notice them.
Men, though, avoid the doctor, avoid tests, and avoid letting anybody know about health problems until it is too late. Of course, not all men are like this, but many are. This needs to change.
To Test or Not To Test
Much of the best medicine out there today, for men and for women, is preventative. These include all of the screenings and tests that are available now to detect cancer, heart disease, and other chronic and
For men’s health, these tests are just as important as, say, a breast exam or pap smear for a women. Sure, men, you don’t want to fail these tests. The news will be hard to deal with at first. But there is a silver lining. Catch most conditions, even the dreaded C word, earlier, and your doctor has a far better chance to treat it.
The following tests are some of the most important for men’s health. Before you submit to any of them, the first thing you should do is find a doctor with whom you can build a relationship. You will be more willing to agree to his or her treatments, and open up to him or her, if you trust and feel comfortable with your doctor.
Take the Tape Measure to It
Your first order of business is getting an actual measurement of your body size. This includes your weight, your height, your waist measurement,
All of these measurements can help your doctor determine if you are overweight or obese. Carrying extra weight around is not only bad for your marital bliss. It can increase your risk for type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, cancer, heart disease, and other ailments.
That makes this one important test. Get it every time you visit your doctor for a check up, or at least every two years. If your doctor finds that you need to lose a few pounds, he or she can help set up a diet and exercise regimen to help your safely accomplish your goal.
Feel the Beat
You’ve probably had your blood pressure taken dozens of times during your lifetime and never realized just how important it is. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can damage your arteries and your heart.
The most frightening thing is that you cannot feel hypertension. The only way to know that you have it is through a test. That’s why doctors recommend you have it checked at least every 2 years.
The Most Dreaded Test
The digital rectal exam (DRE) has been the butt of many comedians jokes. It sends men running to the waiting room in terror. And it may be the single biggest reason men don’t go to the doctor. In it, a doctor uses a gloved finger to check a man’s prostate, which can only be done ’s anus.
As terrifying as this is for most men, it is necessary. The DRE can find an enlarged prostate and more importantly, prostate cancer. More than half of all men over 50 years old have an enlarged prostate.
Another test, without the finger, is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. Doctors take a blood sample—from your arm—to measure a protein from your prostate gland.
No matter if you get a PSA test, though, experts still recommend a DRE every year for men over 50, sooner if you are of African descent or have a family history of prostate cancer.
All to Yourself
There’s one more important test for men’s health. Luckily, men can do this one on their own. It’s a testicular exam, during which you are searching
Of course, your doctor will have a hand in this test, too, during your checkups. Her or she should examine your testicles at every checkup. It may make your squeamish. But considering that testicular cancer is the number one tumor in young men age 15 to 35, a coupe seconds of discomfort won’t hurt.