The news that King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer has been greeted with sadness and shock by people from around the world. Health experts and campaigners have praised the King’s openness in disclosing his cancer, and also a previous hospital treatment for an enlarged prostate.
BBC News reports that the King’s willingness to disclose his medical conditions has been met with approval from the public, and also attracted praise from medical professionals. This is because they believe that it may encourage other men to get symptoms checked out.
Dr Jeff Foster, a men’s health specialist and GP, from Warwickshire, told BBC Radio WM: “Anything that gets men to become more aware and talk about their health is an amazing outcome. It’s probably the hardest speciality I could have picked because blokes just do not want to talk about their health. We bury our head in the sand about everything.”
Buckingham Palace has not disclosed what type of cancer 75-year old King Charles has, apart from confirming that it is not prostate cancer, or what stage it is at. It is known that he has begun a course of treatment as a hospital outpatient. The main treatments for cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
More men than women die of cancer in the UK according to Cancer Research UK (53 per cent compared to 47 per cent). For adult males aged 15 to 45 years, testicular cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in 2020. In males aged 45 years or over, prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed, followed by bowel cancer.
Men’s health has recently been in the spotlight, as campaigners draw attention to statistics that reflect an imbalance in health outcomes for men and women. For example, one man in five in the UK will die before the age of 65, and on average men die 3.7 years earlier than women.
Furthermore, although there is not a huge disparity in the number of men and women who die from cancer, Men’s Health Forum reports that men are 67 per cent more likely to die from cancers that affect both men and women, such as lung cancer. This is possibly due to a reluctance to take symptoms seriously and go to the doctor.
It is hoped that more men will now follow the example of King Charles and seek medical advice if they suspect they have an enlarged prostate or symptoms of cancer.
There is currently a parliamentary inquiry underway into men’s falling life expectancy and poor health outcomes in the UK. This is with a view to addressing inequalities and raising awareness of health conditions that affect men, such as prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
One common health complaint that men may be reluctant to seek treatment for is erectile dysfunction (ED). This is understandable, as most people consider sexual functions to be a personal and private matter. However, ED can be successfully treated, and for many men, there is no reason why they can’t continue to have a fulfilling sex life at any age.
However, it’s important to visit a doctor if you are experiencing persistent problems performing in the bedroom. This is not just because it undermines sexual wellbeing, but also because ED can be the first sign of a more serious health condition.
It’s normal for men to experience problems from time to time, due to tiredness, stress, too much alcohol, or just not being in the mood. In some cases, simple changes such as getting more rest, taking more exercise, losing weight or cutting back on alcohol are all that is required.
However, if the problem has been persisting for weeks or months, it’s time to start asking a few questions and seeking advice. The main physical causes of ED include diabetes; clogged arteries that are restricting blood flow to the penis (atherosclerosis); low testosterone; and the side effects of certain drugs such as antidepressants.
Another cause of ED is prostate gland surgery, which is the first line of treatment for prostate cancer. It’s important to ask for advice from a doctor or pharmacist before embarking on a course of treatment for ED, so that any potentially serious conditions can be ruled out.
If you are looking to buy cheap tadalafil online, please visit our website today.
Recent Comments