Men’s Health
Men’s Health and Preventive Care
Men’s Health and Preventive Care
When you hear the term “men’s health,” what immediately comes to mind? Most of us think of things that affect men as they age, such as prostate issues and hypogonadism. However, there are many unique health threats that can affect men, no matter their age. The key to maximizing quality of life quality and mitigating risk as get older is to be proactive with a preventive health schedule and to seek medical attention early if you suspect a problem.
Waiting to see a doctor when a problem arises could mean missing early signs of an underlying health issue. For example, erectile dysfunction, or ED, is a common condition that brings men in to see their doctors. At the same time, this can be a symptom of a more serious health condition, like heart disease, diabetes, and blood pressure problems.
- Heart problems, such as high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
- Diabetes (between 35% and 50% of men with diabetes get ED)
- Some medications for blood pressure, anxiety, and depression
- Nerve disorders, like Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis
- Hormone problems
- Mood problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- prostate issues
- Erectile dysfunction
- Testosterone replacement therapy
Men’s Health Conditions
Men, in general, are more likely to die of conditions related to risky behavior than women. They are far more likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury and die in car and motorcycle accidents. At the same time, they are also prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions requiring specialized medication.
For men, optimization of health is a complex interaction of physical, emotional, social, environmental, and interpersonal factors. Each individual’s risk factors and solutions will be unique. For example, some of the most commonly prescribed medications for men include:
- Urology medications/ medicine for prostate health
- Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)
- Medication addressing hormone imbalance
- Medicine to address chronic pain resulting from any number of medical conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders
Unfortunately, many of the conventionally available medications for common medical conditions are ineffective, especially over sustained periods. For example:
- Systemic pain medications are often contraindicated for long term use, as they can lead to dependence or organ toxicity.
- Conventionally dispensed or over the counter medications are designed to work for the masses, not the individual. In cases where personal health history or risk factors make taking first line medication.
- Some forms of synthetic hormone replacement therapy add compounds to the chemical structure that allows companies to patent the end result. This does not improve the efficacy or delivery mechanism, but it does allow the patenting company to make more money from it. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, by contrast, uses your body’s own unique pathways to deliver naturally occurring hormones to you.
As such, it is essential for health-conscious men to be just as proactive when working with pharmacies for their medical needs. Men naturally produce less testosterone as they age and may require hormone therapy for medicine to improve prostate health, even when living a healthy lifestyle. It is important to discuss all health changes and concerns with your doctor as soon as they arise. Follow a preventive maintenance schedule and know when one medical condition – such as ED – may actually be a symptom of an underlying health issue.
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