subject: Are Men Sufficiently Aware of Men's Health Issues? [print this page] Are Men Sufficiently Aware of Men's Health Issues?
Are Men Sufficiently Aware of Men's Health Issues?
In general, men tend to avoid medical checkups and regular visits to doctors, until the symptoms of their illnesses produce an emergency situation. Men ignore the tale tell signs of onset of chronic illnesses which needs changes in life style, diet and medical attention to manage without facing aggravated medical situations. This is why men are more susceptible to death from the top fatal diseases such as heart diseases, strokes, kidney problems, diabetes and prostate cancer. Here are some of the main health issues which all men should be in the lookout and seek immediate medical treatment at initial symptom stage itself.
Heart Disease
Men are more susceptible to heart diseases as their dietary patterns, inactive life style, alcohol consumption and smoking habits, as well as high cholesterol are major contributors to this illness. 7 per every 1000 men in the age group of 35-44 experience heart related illnesses while women develop such symptoms almost 10 years later. There is almost a 5 year gap between the average ages at which men experience their first heart attack vs., the age which women experience the same. These data reiterate the fact that heart diseases are a primary concern which men should take both preventive action and be defensive about. Being defensive includes visiting the physicians regularly and getting the cholesterol levels checked as well as the health and condition of the heart with checkups and tests such as EKGs or ECGs, Echocardiograms and Chest X rays.
Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is concerned with cancerous growth in the rectum area and is one of the most common cancers in men. If detected early, it can be cured while late detection results in high risks of death. The risk of illness increase with age and those with family history of colon cancers should be especially careful. Other risk factors include polyps, high fat diets, and suffering from Cohn's disease. This condition can be treated with surgical removal of cancerous growth, chemotherapy, and radiation. Due to the fact that this illness only displays symptoms at later stages of illness, it is highly recommended that everyone above the age of 50 take a test intended to detect colon cancer. The most common test method is a Colonoscopy in which a small instrument called the Colonoscopy, attached with a camera is used to examine the inside of the large intestine. Such a test allows for detecting and removal of abnormal grows as polyps and testing them for cancer. The test also helps see swelling, inflammations etc. which needs further medical attention.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is an illness which all men should be careful of as it can be life threatening. Prostate glands produce fluid for semen and develop mainly after the age of 40. When men suffer from prostate cancer, the substance called prostate specific antigen or PSA increases. Therefore, the detection of this illness is mainly through PSA tests. The symptoms to look out for include pain and difficulty in passing urine, pack pains, and pain while ejaculating. This is the third contributor to death among men in America.
Low or High Testosterone Levels
Testosterone is an important hormone for the functioning of the male body and affects their libido and fertility. If the levels are high it can bring on early puberty in boys. In most cases, the issue is with the low levels of the testosterones that lead to various conditions in men such as decreased libido and sex drive, erectile dysfunction, testicular tumors and infertility. Tests can identify the levels and physicians can recommend appropriate remedial medications. Various drugs can affect the testosterone levels and while alcohol consumption and related diseases in the liver can reduce the hormone.
While there are numerous other health issues which men should be alert to, these are some of the main health risks faced by them. Being alert to symptoms and undergoing regular checkups can help prevent these disease reaching stages that cost our lives.
