Health

Men’s Health And Why Regular Medical Check Ups Matter

Regular Check Ups

Regular medical check-ups help us maintain a healthy mind and body. And seeing a doctor is an excellent opportunity to talk about any concerns and pick up on the early signs of disease or illness.

Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers are routinely picked up during routine checks. And early detection and treatment can lead to a better long term prognosis. If you are overweight and live a sedentary lifestyle reducing your waistline and getting fit is the best things you can do for long term wellness.



Healthy living can prevent chronic illness and help you maintain overall mental and physical wellbeing. Following significant weight loss, however, you may find it challenging to achieve a taut, toned physique. But if this is a priority for you, there are a range of cosmetic surgeries that can help.

Gynecomastia surgery is an option for removing excess breast tissue in men that can not be reduced through diet and exercise. This procedure will result in a more defined chest area, and we’ve linked a video here if you’d like to learn more.

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/Wg8ORVeaOIM” width=”760″ autoplay=”yes” mute=”yes”]

In the meantime, we’ve outlined some of the things you can expect during a regular health check-up and discuss some of the things you can do at home to stay fit and healthy.

[su_note note_color=”#567288″ text_color=”#f7f6f5″]What To Expect[/su_note]

At your initial check-up, your health care professional will discuss medical history and any family history of illness or disease. Expect a frank discussion about lifestyle, including diet, weight, and how much you exercise as well as whether you smoke or drink.

The high-risk factor for any illness or disease means the likelihood that you’ll develop a particular condition. For instance, high blood pressure can be a warning sign of cardiovascular disease.

Regular skin checks are essential too. Your doctor will check any irregularities, and you can point out any changes you’ve noticed at the consultation. It’s vital to be aware of any changes in the colour, size or shape of any spots. Mainly if you are at high risk, yearly examinations are crucial.

At Your Check-up, You May Also Want To Discuss:

  • any unusual symptoms
  • alcohol and drug concerns
  • mental health, depression or anxiety
  • issues around erectile dysfunction
  • sexual health and transmissible infections
  • injury concerns
  • Signs and symptoms
  • Risk factors

 

[su_note note_color=”#567288″ text_color=”#f7f6f5″]Heart Health[/su_note]

Heart

Having certain risk factors for heart disease means your doctor may recommend tests. This could be as simple as regularly having your blood pressure checked. But it may also include blood tests to check cholesterol levels amongst other things.

Being overweight is a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. So get your doctor to check your body mass index (BMI) and waist measurement at each visit.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) detects cardiac (heart) abnormalities. It’s a non-invasive and painless, measuring the electrical activity of the heart. Depending on your age, this may be done every two to five years, depending on your health and medical history.



[su_note note_color=”#567288″ text_color=”#f7f6f5″]Diabetes[/su_note]

Diabetes

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include elevated blood glucose levels and family history. As well as being obese or overweight and having high blood pressure.

Losing weight and eating a healthy diet can significantly lower your risk of both diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

A sedentary lifestyle is also a risk factor for type two diabetes. Lowering your fat, sugar, salt and consumption low-fibre foods will also help.

 

[su_note note_color=”#567288″ text_color=”#f7f6f5″]Bone Density[/su_note]

Bone Density

Osteoporosis may be more common in women, but it’s still a concern for men. And ageing is a significant risk factor.

A bone density test can indicate bone health. And bone density testing generally happens in patients with previously diagnosed osteoporosis at regular intervals. You may also be tested you have osteopenia (decreased bone density) or poor nutrition and consume unhealthy amounts of alcohol.

Inadequate amounts of dietary calcium and low vitamin D levels can also be indicative of the disease. So proper nutrition is critical if you want to keep the illness at bay. Mainly if you are over 60, think about asking for a bone density test.

Other Risk Factors And Indicators Of Osteoporosis Include:

  • Too much caffeine
  • lack of physical activity
  • chronic kidney or liver disease
  • thyroid disease or an overactive thyroid gland
  • persistent bone pain particularly spinal pain
  • Previous fractures



[su_note note_color=”#567288″ text_color=”#f7f6f5″]Bowel Cancer[/su_note]

Bowel Cancer

A family history of any type of cancer may mean you need regular screening. So make sure you discuss this at your next health check.

Generally, cancers are more treatable the earlier they are caught, for instance, a high percentage of bowel cancers are treatable following early detection. There are home test kits available in many areas, so check with your health clinic.
Eye tests for men

Our eyesight generally deteriorates with age and conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts become more common.

Risk Factors include:

  • family history
  • personal history
  • certain medical conditions
  • certain medications
  • smoking

If you wear prescription glasses or contact lenses, you need to have a yearly eye test. Otherwise, make sure you visit your optometrist every two years.

 

What You Can Do At Home

There are things you can do at home as part of your wellness routine that will help with long term health. These things include staying on top of self-examinations, good hygiene and a healthy diet.

Proper dental care can reduce your risk of tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss. But cleaning your teeth regularly and keeping sugar to a minimal play a big part too. Visit the dentist yearly for an examination and a professional clean but maintain proper oral hygiene at home.

Testicular self-examinations should be done from puberty. Look out for any changes and visit a healthcare professional if you’re worried. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.


The Bottom Line

The growing trend of people taking control of their own health and fitness means early detection of some illness is increasing. Unfortunately, the epidemic of preventable ill-health, such as diabetes means that we aren’t doing enough. And the scale of undetected conditions like high blood pressure remains high.

Men may have unnecessary anxiety around diagnosis or surgical intervention. Still, any new, unexplained or worrying symptoms should always be referred to your doctor. And those regular health check-ups regardless of how fit and healthy you become increasingly vital as we age.

About the author

Editor N4GM

He is the Chief Editor of n4gm. His passion is SEO, Online Marketing, and blogging. Sachin Sharma has been the lead Tech, Entertainment, and general news writer at N4GM since 2019. His passion for helping people in all aspects of online technicality flows the expert industry coverage he provides. In addition to writing for Technical issues, Sachin also provides content on Entertainment, Celebs, Healthcare and Travel etc... in n4gm.com.

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