Essential Health Checks For Men

It’s a common perception that us men aren’t as keen on checking up on our health as women tend to be. And while that slight cold may feel like it’s going to kill us, it’s certainly the least of our worries. That is why it is so important to get regular health checks done, in order to ensure you live a healthy lifestyle – for as long as possible.

With April being testicular cancer awareness month, The Weekender unpacks what this type of cancer is all about and highlights other urinary issues that men should be cautious about.

Defining testicular cancer, sister Christy Kavetuna from the Cancer Association of Namibia says it is a type of cancer that starts in the testicles. She mentioned that more than 90% of cancers of the testicle develop in special cells known as germ cells, the cells that make sperm.

“Testicular cancer can occur at any age but it is more common among men between the ages of 16 and 35.”

Kavetuna pointed out a lump or feeling of pain in the testicle and a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum are some of the symptoms of testicular cancer. She added that there are several factors that may increase your risk of developing testicular cancer. These are an undescended testicle, age, abnormal testicle development and family history.

“If your family members have had testicular cancer, you may have increased chances of developing it.”

Kavetuna says sometimes men discover testicular cancer themselves, either unintentionally or while doing a testicular self-examination to check for lumps, or a doctor may detect a lump during a routine physical exam.

“To determine whether a lump is testicular cancer, your doctor may recommend an ultrasound, blood tests or surgery to remove a testicle (radical inguinal orchiectomy),” said Kavetuna.

Treatment for testicular cancer depends on the type of cancer and the stage but it ranges from surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

A local urologist emphasised the importance of going for regular medical exams, especially where there is a family history of this type of cancer as well as from age 35 onwards.

“If you are 50 and older, an annual check-up is required. What it entails is basically an internal examination and blood tests, however, if are not in that age bracket but experience problems, it may be worthwhile to go for a check-up,” he said.

Testicular cancer is not the only the check-up that men should do themselves – in fact, they’ll be nuts not look around for other irregularities.

The urologist shed light on causes of erectile dysfunction – another urinary health scare that some men experience.

According to healthline.com, erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to either become erect or stay erect long enough to have sexual intercourse. It’s also sometimes referred to as impotence.

Occasional ED isn’t uncommon. Many men experience it during times of stress. Frequent dysfunction, on the other hand, can be a sign of health problems that need treatment.

He mentioned lack of sleep, alcohol abuse, excessive intake of caffeinated beverages and tobacco use as some of the causes of erectile dysfunction.

“However, it is normal with growing age that things are not the same as they were when you were 20,” the urologist clarified.

Other health problems that men can face include prostate and breast cancer. Prostate cancer is cancer of prostate gland, a walnut-sized gland found only in men, in the pelvis below the bladder. This gland produces some of the fluid in semen and plays a role in urine control in men.

Some of the symptoms of prostate cancer are: Burning or pain during urination; difficulty urinating; or trouble starting and stopping while urinating; more frequent urges to urinate at night; loss of bladder control, decreased flow or velocity of urine stream and blood in urine.

While many might not know it, men can get breast cancer too and the symptoms are similar to those in women.

According to webmd.com, most male breast cancers are diagnosed when a man discovers a lump on his chest. But unlike women, men tend to delay going to the doctor until they have more severe symptoms, like bleeding from the nipple. At that point, the cancer may have already spread.

Your family depends on you, so do the right thing and take care of yourself by going for health checks regularly.

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