MercyOne South Sioux City Family Medicine
When it comes to health care, men tend to willfully endure their symptoms and pain. In a recent national survey, 72% of the male participants said they’d rather do household chores, like cleaning the bathroom or mowing the lawn, than go to the doctor.
Men – it’s time to lead by example. Here are a few common health habits it's time to fix.
Skipping the doctor
Primary care providers are like the cornerstone of your medical team.
Your primary care provider is more than someone you should visit for an annual physical – they are your trusted health care teammate and usually your first step in your circle of care. The moral of the story – skipping preventive care and ignoring symptoms is dangerous and can put your health and well-being at risk.
“It’s super important to have your home base for both preventive and acute illnesses,” said David Ensz, MD, at MercyOne South Sioux City Family Medicine. “When I’ve seen you several times I don’t need to look back at your chart because I know you. I know you, your health needs, your kids, your grandkids, etc. I know the whole of your well-being.”
In the same survey mentioned above, 65% of the male participants said they wait as long as possible before they see a doctor. Men will “tough it out” and wait until their symptoms are at the breaking point before seeking care.
“There are some illnesses and diseases that if you come in too late or when you finally are experiencing symptoms the treatment becomes very difficult,” Dr. Ensz said. “A good example is colon cancer. Early colon cancer has little symptoms, so if you wait until you have noticeable bleeding then it might require more intensive treatment like surgery or chemotherapy.”
There are also plenty of conditions that can present differently like when a heart attack feels more like indigestion or acid reflux.
Avoiding conversations around erectile dysfunction
One area some men specifically tend to ignore and not discuss is erectile dysfunction (ED). But ED can be your body’s way of alerting you that something is wrong.
“The arteries that go to the penis are the same size as the arteries that wrap around the heart,” Dr. Ensz said. “If there is plaque that is preventing blood flow causing erectile dysfunction there’s a pretty good chance you have plaque around your heart too.”
A few other common causes that may cause ED include:
- Diabetes
- Excessive alcohol use
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Low testosterone
- Obesity
- Sleep disorders
“Erectile dysfunction is one condition that hits home with men,” Dr. Ensz said. “It can really open up the door to look into their health further and find other issues.”
Diabetes care
“I would venture almost a third, and sometimes even half, of my day is seeing patient with diabetes,” Dr. Ensz said.
Symptoms of diabetes include:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Very thirsty and hungry
- Urinate often, especially at night
- Blurry vision
- Numb or tingling hands or feet
- Dry skin
It’s never too late to make some small lifestyle changes that could be a big step toward preventing and managing diabetes. You can take six steps to manage your diabetes as soon as today!
Excessive drinking
Men drink more alcohol than women – and that has significant impacts on your health and well-being.
The CDC reports men are two times more likely to binge drink than women. You already know alcohol has short term effects on decision making, balance, vision and more. The long-term effects of excessive drinking include:
- Liver disease
- Heart disease
- Pancreatitis
- Dementia
- Alzheimer’s disease
Alcohol also plays heavily into men’s mental and behavioral health. Men are three times as likely to die by suicide, and are more likely to have been drinking prior to suicide.
“Alcohol is used as a bandage to feel better when really it can make things worse,” Dr. Ensz said.
Mental health
“Men don’t always come out and say specifically ‘Hey, I’m depressed’ instead they bring up other issues that end up being symptoms of depression,” Dr. Ensz said. “Sometimes they just don’t feel quite right, and they aren’t sure why, or they have lost interest in their weekend activities.”
Symptoms of depression can include:
- Anxiety
- Feelings of sadness, emptiness or hopelessness
- Lack of energy
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities and hobbies
- Sleep disturbances (insomnia or oversleeping)
- Trouble concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
Sun safety and skin care
How many people do you know who spend most of their day outside?
“Sun safety is very important, especially if you work outside or spend extended time in the sun,” Dr. Ensz said. “Spots on the ears, nose and scalp are very common places for cancer to develop.”
Basic sun safety practices include:
- Avoid tanning
- Cover up with clothing
- Don’t get sunburned
- Reapplying sunscreen every 2-3 hours
- Seek shade
- Skin checks
- Using broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher
Skin care for people who work outside and sun-exposed environments
