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| Let's Talk About Men's Health |
| Written by Dr. Chris Kalderimis |
| Monday, 29 September 2008 16:45 |
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Today a Men's health phone-in between 5pm and 9pm, run by the Wellington division of the Cancer Society, can be used by men to talk to doctors about aspects about cancer, in particular, but also about men's health, in general. It is a sad fact of life that often those who most need care are those most reluctant, or unable, to access it. This is certainly the case with men's health. Men will die, on average, seven to eight years younger than women, are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer, and more likely to die of heart disease or diabetes. Men will seek a diagnosis of any of these diseases much later than women do simply because they are so reluctant to see a doctor. As one of my colleagues so aptly put it: "Men don't come and see us until bits start falling off." Men's health is more than just thinking about prostate cancer. Though it is often the focus of men's health, the biggest killer, particularly once you are over 50, is cardiovascular disease. Having a heart attack or stroke is what carries most of us away and the risk factors for that are well known. If you are a smoker, overweight, unfit, eat a poor diet, or do not exercise regularly, you are much more at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Much of the prevention is in our hands. Discussion on prostate cancer is, thankfully, much more out in the open. About 600 men die of it each year, so men need to be aware that any differences in their pattern of urination must not be ignored. Men need to talk to their doctor about screening. Smoking is a particular problem. Though you can get lung cancer even if you have never been a smoker, the risk of developing it is much higher if you are or have been a smoker. In New Zealand, about 900 men die from it each year. The increased risk to people close to you, if you are a smoker, should not be ignored — they can develop lung cancer as a result of exposure to second-hand smoke. Bowel cancer no doubt will be one of the main topics discussed tonight. In New Zealand, about 1300 men each year are diagnosed with it. The disease starts in the large bowel and the symptoms that may indicate there is a problem are when constipation or even diarrhoea occurs, when blood is noticed in the bowel motion and a change in bowel habits. If the cancer has become more significant, there will be abdominal pain, weight loss which is unintentional, and a feeling of tiredness. New Zealand will soon have a programme to screen people for early bowel cancer before they have any symptoms. This is one area where early screening is very important — a family history of bowel cancer, if you have a history of bowel disease, and simply getting older are risk factors. Testicular cancer can be cured even if it is found relatively late, after it has spread to other organs. It is commonly found in younger men, often in their teens, and rarely in men over the age of 40. Diagnosis is not difficult. A lump is found in the testicle but very often, because younger men are often shy or embarrassed about seeing anyone about it, it’s left till it has become large and the cancer has spread. Therapy is not only successful, and people are talking about cure, but fertility can be saved. Skin cancer is another issue for men and though women are at risk because of their exposure to sunlight, men who work in the sun, such as labourers and farmhands, and even office workers who enjoy time in the garden or playing sport such as golf, tennis or sailing, are significantly at risk. It is important to include a yearly skin check as part of a basic medical, especially if you are older than 50. I don’t know what it will take to change the attitude of men who bury their heads in the sand and ignore health issues. Changing one’s lifestyle and having cholesterol and glucose levels determined early can make a big difference. Attitudes toward smoking, and about being exposed to sunlight, have changed — now men’s attitudes about their health need to also. Having a regular check-up is so much better than finding a condition that is well advanced And finding it is too late to do much about it. — Chris Kalderimis is a Wellington GP
Reprint from The Dominion Post 29 Sept 2008 |
| Last Updated on Monday, 22 June 2009 17:57 |