Men’s Health Month is an annual observance to increase awareness and prevention of treatable conditions among men and boys. Men should take control of their health and get the proper screening and care, although that it’s easier said than done. Anyone that lives with a male knows that getting them to the doctor can be a herculean effort. As they say in the south, bless their hearts.
Cleveland Clinic did a recent survey in their push to get men to the doctor and found that 72% of men said they would rather be doing household chores, like cleaning toilets, than go to the doctor. Firefighters and EMS paramedics often have to convince their male patients to go to the hospital while they are in the middle of heart attacks. Over two-thirds of men avoid going to the doctor as long as possible.
What does this lead to? Well, it might explain why men, on average, die almost six years earlier than women. Women go to the doctor twice as much as men for annual examinations and preventative health care. Men, it’s time to do better. Even superheroes need to see their doctor. It helps you be the amazing human you are for even longer.
Here are the health screenings you need at your annual visit and why they are important:
- Blood pressure – this simple act of getting your blood pressure checked can catch a number of problems before they get out of hand. High blood pressure is treatable, but can also be a symptom of another easily treatable condition.
- Blood panel – this simple blood test that is often ordered on your annual visit can catch many health conditions like high cholesterol, diabetes, infections, and certain cancers. Early detection is the key to many of these conditions, greatly improving the success of treatment.
- Physical exam – this simple in-office exam will help screen for things like osteoporosis, skin cancer, and prostrate cancer.
Think of your annual visit as a tune-up for your car. Every so often, when the mileage indicates, you just need a tune-up. Same thing with your body. If you wait too long, that check engine light will come on and it will be more costly to fix.