Annual health checkups are recommended for all adults over 40 to screen for common conditions before they escalate, and to give individuals an insight into their general state of health. This can flag up any areas to keep an eye on, or address specific issues.
Men tend to be worse than women at taking care of their health, only visiting the doctor when absolutely necessary (and sometimes not even then). This can be particularly true when a health concern is of a sensitive nature, such as a sexual health issue. However, by taking a proactive approach, you can set yourself up for greater future wellbeing.
Here’s a look at why men shouldn’t put off scheduling routine health checkups.
Early detection means better treatment outcomes
One of the primary purposes of regular health checkups is to pick up on potentially serious conditions such as prostate cancer in the early stages when they are more easily treatable. This means that more invasive treatments with a higher risk of side effects may be unnecessary further down the road.
Early intervention may even save lives, prolong lifespan and reduce the number of years spent living with a debilitating health condition.
Prevention is better than cure
A doctor, and perhaps also a philosopher, will always tell you that prevention is better than cure. Health screenings will be able to detect issues that may show no symptoms in the early stages, such as elevated blood sugar and high blood pressure, that could go on to cause serious illness such as heart disease and diabetes.
If these issues are picked up during a routine screening, it’s possible to take control of your health with the guidance of your doctor. This will not prevent a potentially life limiting illness developing, but also contribute to a better quality of life.
Men should also be encouraged to ask for help about any other issues that have been causing a persistent health problem, such as erectile dysfunction (ED). This is naturally not a topic that most men are keen to discuss, but it’s important because ED can be a red flag for a range of serious health problems.
These may include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. ED can also damage relationships and self esteem, yet it’s a very treatable condition. Once your doctor has addressed any contributing factors, they may prescribe an oral medication such as Viagra, which is cheap to buy as sildenafil.
Giving you control of your physical health
Regular screenings means that you will always have accurate and up to date information about key health indicators, including your body weight and BMI, blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.
This means that you can work on optimising any areas that require improvement, help to prevent future problems, and boost your overall quality of life.
Taking charge of your mental health
Regular physical health screenings will benefit your mental health and wellbeing, providing you with a sense of control and peace of mind about any niggling concerns. It will also provide the opportunity to discuss directly with your doctor any mental health issues that are impacting your life, such as stress, anxiety and depression.
Learning how to manage these issues can improve your physical health. For example, there is a strong link between stress and high blood pressure, and between depression and ED.
Men are often more reluctant to talk openly about their mental health, but bottling up negative feelings not only makes life less enjoyable and unrewarding, but can also lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drinking too much, abusing recreational drugs, overeating, outbursts of uncontrolled anger or risk taking.
By taking charge with regular screenings, men can build up a relationship with their healthcare providers, and make it easier for them to feel comfortable discussing sensitive topics.
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