September/October Issue 63 - Flipbook - Page 37
D4DRIVERS
MEN’S HEALTH WEEK: 14-21 JUNE 2021
14-21st June 2021 marks Men’s Health
Week. As a GP it has been my experience
that men rarely attend the doctors unless
it’s an emergency.
Men are at much higher risk of heart disease
than women, and studies have shown that
men take riskier choices with regards to
their health and wellbeing, such as higher
rates of smoking and alcohol intake. In my
practice the most common concerns that
men have are to do with ‘down-below’ testicular or prostate problems and erectile
dysfunction.
TESTICLES
Testicular lumps and bumps are one of
the main causes of anxiety in men. It’s
important to check your testicles regularly
to get to know your body, and see a GP if
you notice any changes. Please don’t feel
embarrassed, it doesn’t take long for a
simple examination. Prevention is better
than cure.
Cancer of the testicle is one of the less
common cancers and tends to mostly affect
men between 15-49 years of age. Typical
symptoms are a painless swelling or lump in
one of the testicles, or any change in shape
or texture. Mostly, we find harmless cysts
which we can diagnose with examination
and a simple scan.
The advice is simple - If in doubt, get seen,
and please don’t be embarrassed.
PROSTATE CANCER
The prostate is a gland. It is usually the size
and shape of a walnut and grows bigger as
you get older. It sits underneath the bladder
and surrounds the urethra, which is the tube
that carries urine out of the body.
The most common sign of prostate problems
is issues with urination: trouble starting or
stopping, going more frequently (especially
at night), incontinence and occasionally
blood and pain.
Again, it is important to get examined. It
doesn’t take long and your GP will have
done hundreds of these examinations, so
don’t delay if you are concerned.
Most commonly, we find a harmless swelling
of the prostate that occurs naturally over
time. A blood test for PSA is easy to do and
there are medications that can easily help.
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED)
ED is important and the cause can be
complicated. Psychology plays a role with
erectile function, so anxiety and stress can
adversely affect this. You can differentiate
this from other causes of ED as you will still
get spontaneous erections at night and in
the mornings.
Then, we talk about physical causes.
Testosterone deficiency occurs as we
age and - in some people - a lot earlier.
ED can also be linked to; heart disease
high cholesterol, smoking, excessive
alcohol intake and high blood pressure. It’s
important to look to your own health and
make better choices with diet and exercise,
stop smoking and get your BP and bloods
checked. ED is often the warning sign that
heart disease is around the corner.
WELL-MAN CHECKS
Look after your health and, if in doubt, get
yourself checked. A well-man check is the
perfect place to do this as you can get all
of your blood tests and examinations done
at once. You may find it difficult to access
a health check with the NHS, but there are
other inexpensive options out there if you
search around. Look after yourselves!
