Studies have shown that men usually don’t take care of their health as much as they should. Research has shown that poor health education, a lack of awareness, and an unhealthy lifestyle could lead to a constant decline in the well-being of a man.
These are the common health risks that men tend to face;
Erectile dysfunction
This is one of the most common health risks in men. It is not necessarily life-threatening, but it could be signs that you have an underlying health condition. About 39% of men aged 40 and about 67% of men aged 70 have problems with their erectile function.
Men who have erectile dysfunction tend to be more depressed and have less enjoyment. The main factor that leads to erectile dysfunction is atherosclerosis, which is the same issue that causes stroke and heart attack.
Research has shown that men who have frequent ED have blood vessels in their body that is not in perfect health. This is why most healthcare professionals take erectile dysfunction as a warning sign for cardiovascular disease.
There are a number of effective treatments for erectile dysfunction. Undergoing treatments will ensure that you have an enjoyable sex life.
So, if you notice frequent signs of erectile dysfunction, it would be best to visit your healthcare professional if you have any underlying health condition.
Depression and Suicide
Depression is a whole lot more than just going through a rough patch, bad mood, or the blues. Depression is an emotional problem that impacts your body and health.
In essence, depression shows that the mind-body connection, stress hormones, and brain chemicals are not balanced. Research has also shown that men with depressions are more susceptible to develop heart disease.
Men have the ability to hide their depressed feelings or show them in various ways than women, which is what previously led experts to think depression affected more women than men.
Men tend to get angry or aggressive rather than show feelings of sadness as they don’t think it is fine for them to say they are depressed. Research has shown that men are less likely to get help for depression.
The results of depression are mostly catastrophic. Women have been found to attempt suicide more, but men usually have more success in completing it. Research has shown that suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in men.
Most men typically notice significant improvements when taking therapy or medications for depression. This is why you should seek help from your doctor or someone close to you if you are suffering from depression.
If you think someone is trying to commit suicide, follow these guidelines for suicide prevention;
- Call your local emergency number or 911.
- Keep an eye on the person till help arrives.
- Remove any dangerous item that can be used to commit suicide.
- Listen to their story and don’t shout, argue or judge them.
Prostate cancer
This is a leading cancer issue in men. This is a health problem that is only found in men as women do not have a prostate. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that is located behind the penis. It is responsible for secreting fluids that are important for ejaculation, and it is more likely to develop problems as men get older.
Research has shown that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men after skin cancer. Other research has shown that about one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, but it would only lead to death in about one in 35 of them.
A lot of prostate cancers grow slowly and don’t spread easily, while there are some that are aggressive. However, it is not possible to pinpoint which cancer is more dangerous.
Your healthcare professional would need to give you a digital rectal exam to screen for prostate cancer and then a blood test for a prostate-specific antigen. However, screening has not been found to reduce the chances of prostate cancer deaths. This is mostly because the screening finds a lot of cancers that are not fatal, even if they are not detected.
Testing could also lead to an aggressive treatment of potentially harmless cancers, which could cause issues like ED.
It is okay to get screened for prostate cancer, but the best choice is to visit your healthcare professional and discuss your overall risk regularly. Before going for any approach, it is ideal that you understand the benefits and risks.
Cardiovascular disease
Heart disease has a variety of forms, and every one of them could cause fatal and severe complications if not detected. Research has shown that every one in three adult men has some kind of cardiovascular disease.
Heart disease and stroke are mostly caused by atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries. Research has found that the first two leading causes of death in men and women are heart disease and stroke. It is a global public health condition with high rates of cases.
When it comes to cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol plaques slowly block the arteries in the brain and heart. A blood clot is formed when the plaque becomes unstable; this blood clot then blocks the artery and leads to a heart attack or stroke.
Research has shown that one in five men will die from cardiovascular disease. Also, other research has shown that men’s arteries develop atherosclerosis faster than women.
The average age at which men die from cardiovascular disease is under 65, while for women it is about 71. Even in their youthful days, women have been found to have healthier arteries than men. This is because of the high levels of good cholesterol in women.
There are some measures men can take to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke, which includes;
- From age 25, ensure that you get your cholesterol levels checked every five years.
- If you have high blood pressure and cholesterol, try to control them.
- If you are a smoker, quit your smoking habits.
- Try to stay fit. Exercise for about 30 minutes each day.
- Pay attention to your diet and include more fruits and vegetables.
Diabetes
Diabetes usually starts silently as it doesn’t show any symptoms in the beginning stages. As time goes by, blood sugar levels begin to rise, and it eventually spills into the urine. What usually brings causes men to visit their healthcare provider is the constant urination and thirst.
The high sugar or diabetes is not in any way sweet. The excess glucose is like a poison to the blood vessels and nerves in the body. A lot of men would experience fallouts like heart attacks, blindness, kidney failure, and stroke.
Research has shown that boys born in 2000 have a shocking one-in-three chance of having diabetes in their lifetime. Being overweight also makes you more susceptible to developing diabetes.
The combination of obesity and diabetes has been found to increase the rate of heart disease, which has been noticing a gradual decline in recent years.
Exercising regularly and following a healthy diet plan has been found to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Also, studies have shown that overweight men who follow a moderate weight loss plan have a reduced chance of having diabetes by up to 50%.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a severe disease that is mostly aggressive and metastatic. Lung cancer spreads quickly and early, even before it is big enough to cause symptoms or be detected in an X-ray. By the time the cancer is detected, it has advanced so much that it might be difficult to cure.
Studies have shown that less than 50% of men survive more than a year after diagnosed with lung cancer. Smokers are more susceptible to developing lung cancer as tobacco smoke is responsible for over 90% of lung cancers worldwide. However, there is a reduction in the rate of deaths from lung cancer, as there is a fall in smoking rates.
There is no effective screening test for lung cancer yet, but studies are ongoing to see if CT scans of the chests of high-risk people could detect cancer at its early stages to improve the chances of survival.
The best way to reduce the risk of lung cancer is to quit smoking. There are other preventive measures, but they are not as challenging or effective as giving up smoking.
Also, visit your healthcare provider as they could provide you with some tools that have been found to help men quit smoking effectively.
Conclusion
Now that you understand all about the most common risks men face with their health, you should watch your habits and become proactive about your health.
Thinking about your health can be a scary prospect, but not paying attention to it could be fatal. It is a well-known fact that most of these issues are biological, but the way men approach health issues also plays a role in their well-being.
If you experience any unusual symptoms or feel that you have a condition, visit your healthcare provider to have a checkup.
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