Why is it that men avoid doctors – or do they?
Typically between the ages of 20 to 40, men avoid going into see doctors. Unlike women, who are conditioned early on to go into to see a doctor annually for a gynecological exam, men do the opposite. Men tend to see a doctor only if injured or if they become seriously ill.
Men tend to self-treat, believing that an aspirin cures all. As a result, scheduling an appointment to see a doctor typically falls to the bottom of that “to-do list,” or never registers at all. Unfortunately, men typically do not see preventative health care as real or valid until they enter their 40s – the time when their parents are now experiencing health-threatening illness and conditions.
Leading health threats for men
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and for the most part it is preventable. The words “heart disease” refers to anything that can essentially weaken the heart muscle, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol build-up on heart arteries (coronary artery disease) and abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
The second leading cause of death in this country is lung cancer, followed by prostate cancer for men, and then colon cancer. Certain screening test can detect many cancers in their infancy state, therefore leading to cures, not deaths.
Moreover, some causes of cancer are linked to poor habits and behavior. Approximately 90 percent of all lung cancers are caused by smoking, and a diet low in fiber is liked to colon cancer.
Prevention is key
Prevention is a critical component in 21st century medicine. Preventative health care refers to steps and measures taken to prevent the development of illness, disease and chronic conditions. It is so important, as approximately seven out of 10 adults who die each year do so from a chronic disease like heart disease, certain cancers, stroke and diabetes.
One in 10 adults have diabetes, one in three adults has high blood pressure, and most do not even know.
For many individuals, these health conditions are preventable, modifiable and curable with early intervention, but men have to go in and see a doctor.
How often should a man see a doctor?
All adults, men and women, should see a doctor yearly for a physical, including age-appropriate screening tests. Visualize a yearly physical (preventative health check-up) as maintenance for a car. Cars needs to be taken into a mechanic periodically for an oil change, tune-up, have the tires checked and rotate.
The human body needs regular maintenance too: blood pressure checked, heart checked, skin examined looking for skin cancer, blood work done to check cholesterol levels and blood sugar tested to screen for diabetes, etc.
In addition, age-appropriate screening tests need to be done. For example, prostate exams begin at age 40 (rectal exams yearly beginning at age 40, PSA blood test beginning at age 50), and colon exams (colonoscopy beginning at age 50, or sooner if there is a family history of colon cancer).
So men, get a “tune-up.” Schedule this physical exam during the month of your birthday, in doing so you will never forget your yearly maintenance.
Help yourself live a longer and healthier life, while getting the most mileage out of your body.
Dr. Linda Petter is a weekly feature on KOMO TV/News Radio (1000 AM & 97.7 FM) every Sunday live 7:45 a.m., and a columnist for the Auburn Reporter. She trained at the Mayo Clinic and the University of Illinois, Carle Hospital. Dr. Petter is chief of the Department of Family Practice at St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way. She is a consumer healthcare advocate, and her books, “Healthcare On a Budget” and “Common Medical Sense” are available on Amazon.com. Please visit her website, www.DocForAll.com, or call her office at 253-568-0841.
