June is Men’s Health Month and Men’s Health Week runs from June 15-21.
You may wonder why there is both a month and a week emphasizing men’s health, but studies show that men are less likely than women to schedule preventive care services, and that when men do go see a doctor, they may not talk openly about certain issues, like prostate problems and mental health concerns. In a recent survey conducted by AARP, 1 in 5 men admitted they were not totally honest with their physicians about their health.
Preventive care including specific screenings is important to discover disease before it has a chance to become difficult or impossible to treat. Staying on top of your health promotes the best chances of prevention and effective management.
Blood Pressure – ages 18 and up
The chances of developing high blood pressure increase with age, but can also affect young people, especially those who have a genetic predisposition or are overweight, over-stressed or physically inactive.
Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney failure, so have your blood pressure checked regularly and if it is high (130/80 or higher), work with your doctor to lower it.
Testicular Cancer – ages 20 and up
Although relatively uncommon, testicular cancer can strike even young men. In fact, most cases of testicular cancer happen between the ages of 20 and 54. In addition to engaging in self-examination for changes in shape, bumps or lumps, you should also make sure your doctor performs a testicular exam during your regular physical. If you have a family history of testicular cancer or an undescended testicle, talk to your clinician about additional screening options.
Cholesterol – ages 20 - 35 and up
LDL cholesterol is the type that causes plaque to stick to and harden the walls of the arteries, stealthily increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke year after year. Men with a personal or strong family history of heart disease are at higher risk, and for them fasting lipid blood panel screening should begin at age 20. For most men, however, a fasting lipid blood panel should be performed at age 35 and thereafter as often as recommended by a clinician.
Prostate Cancer – ages 40 – 50 and up
After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting American men, striking 1 in 6. Most prostate cancers grow slowly without symptoms, but some grow quickly, so routine screening is important. Men whose fathers developed prostate cancer should consider getting screened regularly beginning at age 40. Men with a more distant family history of the disease and African-American men should consider getting tested beginning at age 45, as both groups are at increased risk. Caucasian, Hispanic and Asian men of average risk should begin screening at age 50.
Screening tests for healthy men include digital rectal examination and, when recommended by a clinician, a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test. Men with elevated PSA may be eligible for a 3T MRI prostate scan, which can discover cancer earlier than other tests, without ionizing radiation. If you have elevated PSA, talk to your clinician about whether 3T MRI testing might be right for you. RAI is one of the few providers in the region offering this advanced test.
Colorectal cancer – ages 45 and up
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality. Most colon cancers develop slowly and begin as colon polyps, so the best prevention is to find and remove polyps before they have a chance to become malignant. Common tests include colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy and virtual colonoscopy, which is a CT scan used to discover polyps noninvasively. Some men opt for CT because of comfort issues and/or time constraints. However, if polyps are discovered, a colonoscopy will be necessary to remove them.
Lung cancer – ages 50 and up
Men are more likely to smoke than women, making lung cancer screening important for men who have reached 30 “pack years,” which is the number of packs smoked per day multiplied by the number of years spent smoking.
If you are currently a heavy smoker or were and quit within the past 15 years, talk to your healthcare clinician about whether Low Dose Computed Tomography, or LDCT, might be advisable to check your lungs for cancer before it can spread outside the lungs. Caught early, lung cancer is highly treatable.
Depression and other mental health issues – all ages
As with seeking health for certain physical issues, men are less likely than women to seek help for mental health problems. Women are diagnosed with and treated for depression and anxiety more often than men, while data suggest that men are more than 2 times more likely to develop a dependence on alcohol and drugs. This suggests that men may be less likely to report mental health issues and seek treatment for them, opting instead to “self-medicate.” Mental health problems affect as many as 1 in 3 people at some point in their lives and are nothing to be embarrassed about. If you suffer from depression, anxiety or antisocial behaviors, talk to your doctor about ways to help alleviate these problems, which can impact your ability to enjoy life as well as your physical health.
The care team of RAI is committed to helping people remain healthy. We encourage men of all ages to consider appropriate routine screenings to help maintain vigor, vitality and health. After all, the best protection is prevention.