| Men, Take Charge of Your Health Tri-City Voice, June 11, 2008
Physician Talks About the Importance of Communication,
Preventive Medicine Gentleman, raise your hands if you groan when
your wife tells you to go the doctor.
But you secretly love her more for it
because it means she’s looking out for
your health, right?
Washington Township Medical Group
family practice physician Steven Curran,
M.D., points out that men can oftentimes
be their own worst enemy when it comes
to seeking medical attention.
"Men, if anything, tend to be more
reluctant to seek medical care –
certainly at an early stage," he
laments. "In the medical profession,
we’re simply not as successful at
catching them with routine screens as we
are with women, who tend to get more
regular screenings, such as Pap smears
and mammograms.
"It’s probably related to the same
gene that makes us reluctant to ask for
directions and the same reason we’re not
as good at self care. A lot of men will
come in and say ‘My wife told me to come
in.’"
Schedule that appointment
The truth is that regular doctor
visits can help ward off potential
health issues before they start or
identify others that could turn
dangerous if left untreated. Recognized
as Men’s Health Month, June is a good
time to make that appointment you’ve
been putting off and put a smile on your
wife’s face.
Dr. Curran says some of the most
common issues he sees include prostate
issues, erectile dysfunction (ED) and
exercise/fitness issues.
"As men, we tend to – after the age
of 40 – lose 10 percent of muscle mass
per decade," he relates. "I always like
to remind my male patients that
weight-bearing and weight-resistance
exercises are particularly important, in
addition to cardio exercises, to
maintain fitness. This also has an
affect on heart disease and the diabetes
epidemic."
When it comes to issues surrounding
ED, Dr. Curran stresses that still too
many men are reluctant to seek
treatment, despite the advent of many
viable treatment options, including
medications, such as Cialis®, LEVITRA®
and Viagra® – which has been on the
market for a decade now.
Regular screening is vital
Prostate cancer, much like breast
cancer for women, is a health issue all
men must pay attention to, particularly
those with a family history of early
development of the disease.
Most men, Dr. Curran says, should
begin regular screenings for prostate
cancer at age 50, although certain
ethnic groups and those with a family
history should begin screenings as early
as age 40. When the disease develops in
younger patients, he adds, it is
typically tends to be more aggressive,
which makes early diagnosis and
treatment especially important.
While many health issues tend to
become significant closer to middle age,
certain screenings, such as testicular
cancer, should begin as early as the
teen years. Dr. Curran notes that
testicular cancer is the most common
type of cancer in men under age 35.
"It’s always a good idea to bring up
the issue of screenings with your
physician," he says. "It’s also
important to discuss your family history
with the doctor."
The heart of the problem
The most significant threat to men –
the entire country in fact – is a silent
one.
"The biggest concern would be the
early development of heart disease and
strokes," according to Dr. Curran. "The
No. 1 killer of men remains
cardiovascular disease."
As heart disease exhibits no early
symptoms, Curran stresses the importance
of identifying risk factors early on.
These include high blood sugar, which is
linked to diabetes; high cholesterol;
high blood pressure; obesity; smoking
and heavy alcohol consumption.
By modifying behavior, many risk
factors can be reduced or eliminated.
Eating a healthy diet low in saturated
fats, receiving routine screenings,
exercising regularly and quitting
smoking may all have a positive impact
on cardiovascular disease. But Dr.
Curran reminds that there is no "magic
bullet."
He recommends maintaining contact
with a physician for routine care.
The unexpected ones
Regular medical care is also
important for the more rare but also
less expected health issues. Dr. Curran
points out that some diseases, which
more often affect women, also affect men
and shouldn’t be ignored.
"Here’s a less well known fact," he
says. "Men can develop osteoporosis as
well. The greatest risk would be smaller
framed individual, Asian or northern
European dissent, particularly."
Dr. Curran again
indicates the benefits of screening,
noting the availability of free
osteoporosis screenings at Washington’s
Community Health Resource Library
located across the street from the main
hospital at 2500 Mowry Avenue.
While it’s necessary
to talk to a physician if you suspect
decreased bone density, the best way to
prevent further damage appears to be
adequate dietary calcium and vitamin, as
well as exercise.
"Another surprising
tidbit is that 1 percent of breast
cancers are actually in men," Dr. Curran
reveals. "While uncommon, any sort of
unexplained mass in the breast area
shouldn’t be ignored."
Good health
starts with you
Washington Hospital
offers a number of free community
seminars on various health topics, as
well as regular and periodic free health
screenings.
Do you have
unexplained pain in your legs that goes
away when you sit or stop exercising? On
Saturday, June 14, Washington Hospital
will host a Peripheral Vascular
Screening between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in
the Conrad E. Anderson, M.D. Auditorium
at 2500 Mowry Avenue in Fremont.
Participants must pre-register.
To attend the
screening, call (800) 963-7070 to
register. |
