Men's Health Basic Informations

Men and women share many of the health problems discussed here, such as heart disease and high blood pressure, and the advice given on leading a healthy lifestyle applies equally to both sexes. Certain conditions, including erectile dysfunction, testicular problems and prostate disorders are, however, specific to men. A number of these problems are discussed in more detail in separate factsheets.

Heart disease claims more men?s lives than any other disease. One in five men can expect to die from heart disease before they are 75 years old. If your family has a history of heart disease, you have a greater chance of developing it. However, there are many risk factors that you can do something about. To reduce your risk, avoid smoking, eat a healthy diet, exercise (with activities that make your heart work harder for 30 minutes on most days), control blood pressure and stress, cut back on fat and cholesterol, and maintain an ideal body weight. (See also separate factsheets on How to prevent heart disease, and Hypertension.) If you're at risk of heart disease, your doctor may suggest low dose aspirin.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for heart disease. If you have high blood pressure over a long period of time, you are more likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure. The first thing to do is have your doctor check your blood pressure. If it is high, your doctor may recommend medication to bring it back to normal. Other steps you can take to reduce your blood pressure include:

If you are taking medication to control your blood pressure, it is a good idea to have it checked at least every six months.

The prostate is a gland located between your bladder and urethra (the tube that takes urine from the bladder to the end of your penis). The prostate produces a thick, white fluid called semen that mixes with the sperm when it is ejaculated in male orgasm. The prostate often enlarges when men reach their mid- 40s, and the symptoms of this, which are very common in men aged over 50 years, are:

An enlarged prostate can lead to urine infections, and, rarely, a complete urine blockage. In some men, the problems of an enlarged prostate go away on their own. In other men, the problems need treatment, which ranges from medication to surgery.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is rarely found in men under 50 years of age, but becomes increasingly more common with age. The causes are unclear. In prostate cancer, the tumour can press on the urethra and block the flow of urine. As a result you may have difficulty urinating, have to urinate more often, particularly at night, experience pain on passing urine or have blood in the urine.

Whether or not you have treatment depends on many factors, including your age, general health, stage of the cancer and side effects of treatment. Prostate cancer is often slow growing, so in some older men the best treatment may be ?watchful waiting? (no treatment). In other men, surgery, radiotherapy (cancer- killing X-rays), hormone therapy or chemotherapy (cancer- killing drugs) may be considered.
Men's health

All men should examine their testes regularly for lumps, just as women should be aware of their breasts. Some people find this difficult, and it may be helpful to ask your partner to examine your testes for you. Sadly, many cancers of the testes are not diagnosed until the cancer has spread because men ignore pain and swelling in their testes, and put it down to an injury. Regular examination can help to detect tumours earlier, when they can be more easily treated. If you notice any swelling, lumps or pain in your testes you must consult your doctor.

Cancer of the testis rarely causes pain, but may cause the scrotum to swell and requires prompt treatment. The most common painless swelling results from the collection of fluid in the scrotum (hydrocoele), which often requires no treatment.

Torsion of the testis

Severe pain and swelling of the testis occurs if the spermatic cord is twisted (torsion). The pain develops quickly, and may also occur in the abdomen, and the scrotal skin discolours. Unless testicular torsion is treated within a few hours, there may be permanent damage. Spontaneous untwisting sometimes occurs, but treatment is usually by surgery. Torsion of the testis usually occurs in puberty.

Inflammation of the testis (orchitis)

Swelling and severe pain in the testis along with high fever may be due to ?orchitis?, which develops in some men who catch mumps. Orchitis begins to fade after three to seven days.

Swelling of both the testis and its associated coiled tube (epididymis) is also severely painful, but often the cause of the infection is not obvious.

Some of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are HIV (human immunodeficiency virus ? see the separate factsheet on AIDS), chlamydia, gonorrhoea, warts and genital herpes (see also separate factsheet on STDs). "Safe sex" ? using latex condoms whenever you have sex if you are not in a long term monogamous relationship ? can reduce your risk of catching HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis (as well as hepatitis B, described in another factsheet). The condoms should be made of latex ?condoms made of other materials will not protect you.

Erectile dysfunction is an on- going inability to achieve or to maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. The likelihood of having erectile dysfunction increases with age. Anything interfering with blood flow to the penis can lead to erectile dysfunction; disease, injury or medication are common causes.

Many men are reluctant to talk about erectile dysfunction ? this is unfortunate, because in most men it can be treated. A range of treatment options is available, including psychotherapy, medication and devices such as implants. New drugs like ?Viagra? and similar drugs are highly effective in treating some forms of erectile dysfunction. However, they can have serious side effects and should only be taken after consultation with a doctor.

Eating correctly

A healthy diet does not mean an end to indulgences, it just means choosing a variety of foods every day from the four main food groups:

Although you should not eliminate fat completely from your diet, try to limit fat to no more than 30% of your daily calories. Use butter, margarines and oils sparingly ? a scrape or a smear is sufficient. Cutting back on calories from fat leaves room to eat healthier foods, such as whole- grains, fruits and vegetables ? foods you can eat more of for fewer calories.

Exercise regularly

A small amount of exercise may be enough to improve your health. Simply do activities that make your heart work harder for 30 minutes a day, most days of the week (brisk walking is a good choice). Those 30 minutes don?t have to be continuous; for example, you can do them in two sessions of 15 minutes to gain health benefits.

Manage stress

You know your stress levels are too high when you cannot seem to cope. If that is the case, take steps to reduce the stress in your life and try to change the way you respond to it. Consider relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga, pace yourself by tackling one task at a time and set time aside to relax.