Men's Health
The average man pays less attention to his health than the average woman. Compared to women, men are more likely to
- drink alcohol and use tobacco
- make risky choices
- not see a doctor for regular checkups
Men are assailed by the diseases that can affect anyone—heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, depression… But they also have unique issues such as prostate cancer and benign prostate enlargement.
Many of the major health risks that men face can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle: regular exercise, a healthy diet, not smoking, stress reduction, and alcohol consumption in the moderate range (no more than two drinks a day) if at all. Regular checkups and screening tests can spot disease early, when it is easiest to treat.
So don't be an average man — get on board with protecting your health today.
Men's Health Articles
Two of the more popular options now for managing low-risk prostate cancer are active surveillance and watchful waiting, during which therapy is not done right away. Monitoring prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels for changes and having routine digital rectal exams are the foundation for active surveillance. Watchful waiting is often for men ages 70 and older and doesn’t require any PSA testing or rectal exams, but instead postpones treatment unless significant symptoms develop.
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Men and women go through all kinds of physical and emotional changes as they age that can affect their sex life as well as their relationship. These changes are often embarrassing or difficult to talk about, but communicating about them to each other can help couples find solutions and common ground.
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Calcium deposits can sometimes form in the prostate gland, but they are not harmful and do not increase the risk for prostate cancer.
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Scientists found that the accumulation of visceral fat (which lies deep in the abdomen) and thigh subcutaneous fat (which lies just under the skin) were both associated with a greater risk of developing advanced prostate cancer as well as dying from the disease.
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A Harvard-led study published Feb. 19, 2019, in JAMA found that among men with low-risk prostate cancer, use of active surveillance jumped from 15% in 2010 to 42% in 2015. Use of surgery and radiation to treat the disease fell significantly.
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Certain blood pressure medications may cause sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction and a low sex drive. If the problem persists, a man should speak with his doctor about changing medications, lowering dosages, or exploring other possible health reasons.
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By age 60, about half of all men will have an enlarged prostate. While the condition does not increase the risk of getting prostate cancer or having sexual problems, it can affect quality of life, specifically with annoying and embarrassing urination problems. Certain medications can help relieve symptoms, which means less urinary urgency and fewer nighttime awakenings to use the bathroom.
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Men who develop swollen, tender breasts may have a condition called gynecomastia. While it can be embarrassing, it rarely has a serious cause. However, in adults, the condition warrants a medical evaluation to look for possible health issues and drug side effects. Weight loss may help if breast enlargement is due to excess fat.
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Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, hiking, or dancing, is the best way to strengthen bones as a man ages. Resistance training using free weights, resistance bands, or gym machines can stimulate bones in the wrists, arms, and lower body.
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About 90% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer have the localized kind confined to the prostate gland. For many, a reasonable approach is active surveillance, in which men choose to have careful monitoring of their cancer instead of having surgery or radiation therapy. This is also an opportunity for men to keep their cancer from becoming more aggressive by changing their diet and exercise habits.
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