Taking care of your health is manly

November is the month of raising awareness about men's health. During this time, we pay special attention to the importance of regular preventive examinations and their impact on the early detection of health problems.

Despite education, many men still avoid visiting the doctor and put off examinations. Unfortunately, according to a report commissioned by Gedeon Richter Poland, "Understanding Masculinity. The reality of the Polish male"[1], Poles examine themselves too infrequently. The report shows that as many as 8% of men aged 18-69 have never had a basic morphology, only 30% have had at least one self-examination of their testicles, and only 22% have done a PSA test, which detects prostate cancer.

Men's awareness of taking care of their health has increased in recent years, but still almost 1 in 10 don't think about having age-indicated laboratory or imaging tests. The Gedeon Richter report shows data on testicular examinations, which shows that only one in three men think about them. Now that we're in a month of focusing on men's health, it's worth reminding people that self-examinations should be performed from about age 13-15 until old age. Habits developed in the teenage years only pay off, as they allow you to enjoy a life in good shape - explains Dr. Piotr Swiniarski, urologist, andrologist, doctor of sexual medicine. - Regular screening of one's own body should be done once a month, not just on the occasion of "Movember."
It's best to do it, for example, on the first day of each month, because then it will get into our blood. During such self-examination, it is worth taking into account the testicles, check the penis, both in flaccidity and and erection. To this should be added breast self-examination, because this type of cancer also occurs in men. Remember, however, that this type of prevention is aimed not only at detecting cancer, but also other diseases. With regular examinations of the testicles, you can notice any changes, such as cysts or hydrops. Penile self-examination, on the other hand, helps detect changes related to sexually transmitted diseases, or Peyronie's disease - a fibrous curvature of the penis that causes painful erectionsy," the doctor concludes.

Man at the doctor's

Preventive examinations are far too infrequent, but the figures for visiting medical specialists are equally alarming. The report "Understanding Masculinity. The Reality of the Polish Male," commissioned by Gedeon Richter Poland, shows that 28% of Poles have never been to a cardiologist, urologist or psychotherapist. The highest percentage here concerns especially the youngest group of respondents aged 18-25, which is 35%, while 20% of them have never performed any preventive examinations, including the self-examinations mentioned by the expert.

Certainly in the younger group there is a greater sense of a certain "indestructibility." Only with time comes the reflection that it is worthwhile to examine ourselves, and that is why at a certain age we begin to do balance sheets. However, it is important to remember that certain diseases are precisely affecting men at a young age. For example, the peak incidence of testicular cancer occurs between the ages of 15 and 35, which is why it is so important to develop the habit of self-examination. I hope that the subject "health education" will soon be introduced into schools, all grades. It's very important to be aware from an early age of what proper prevention is, concerning not only strictly physical health, but also mental and sexual health. What's more, you shouldn't pretend to be a superman who is indestructible and therefore doesn't need to go to the doctor, because at some point it's too late. It is taking care of one's health that is super-masculine, much more so than taking no interest in this issue - explains Dr. Piotr Swiniarski.

Although the data from the report is not the best, it is certainly moving in the right direction. One example is Poles' interest in mental health. From the report "Understanding Masculinity. The reality of the Polish male." shows that up to 25% of surveyed Poles have already visited a psychologist or psychotherapist, while 21% have even been to a psychiatrist.

Fortunately, we are slowly breaking away from the image of the "macho" guy, the guy who doesn't cry or show emotion. Many men come to me talking about stressful work, and after all, this translates into overall physical and sexual health. Nervous situations affect each of us, but how we react to them is very important. That's why I explain to my patients that if they are not able to cope on their own then it is necessary to use the help of specialists - psychotherapists or psychologists. Often I get a situation where someone says that they have already been to some expert, but it didn't help. But it is important to remember that on the line between patient and doctor there should be a bond, trust. Therefore, it is also often the case that some people avoid certain specialists because they have had bad experiences. For our sake, it is necessary to look for a doctor with whom we will establish a relationship based on mutual trust and understanding," he says. says Dr. Piotr Swiniarski.

How to be in good shape for years to come?

A study by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) shows that we are living longer and longer: men average 74.7 and women 82 years. Just a year ago, these numbers were about a year lower, regardless of gender[2]. All the more reason, then, to want to enjoy the best health and be in good shape for as long as possible. Here again, it is worth reiterating the importance of keeping a close eye on one's body. That is, in the case of men, from the age of 15, self-examination of the testicles, penis and breasts plus visits to specialists if we notice anything worrying is the required minimum. The older a man is, the more examinations he certainly needs to perform, but this should never deter us, as it only pays off.

Due to the ever-increasing percentage of prostate cancer cases, it's a good idea to get your PSA level tested once a year after 40. This is important, especially if we are burdened with the occurrence of this cancer in the family. In addition, it is worth having a creatinine test, a general urine test, a morphology, lipidogram and fasting glucose levels. In addition, an abdominal ultrasound is useful. If we perform these preventive tests 1 time a year, we just keep our hand in. In addition, let's remember the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and as a urologist, I must also add a few words about proper hydration. When we do not provide ourselves with enough fluids, the risk of kidney stones and urogenital infections increases. To prevent such a situation, you need to make sure that you urinate at least 2-2.5 liters per day. This means that you need to drink at least 2.5-3 liters of fluids, and in many situations even much more, especially if you play sports, work physically, have a lot of stress or simply sweat a lot. It's a good idea to start first thing in the morning and drink two glasses of water after waking up, and then one every hour. It can be ordinary tap water, mineral water, juice or tea, for that it is better to avoid alcohol and excessive coffee. This is the easiest way to avoid kidney, bladder or prostate problems that so often affect men. Finally, it is worth saying that although "Movember" is a cool action, we should regularly examine ourselves and visit specialists. Not to look for diseases, but to confirm that you are healthy - concludes Dr. Piotr Swiniarski, urologist, andrologist, doctor of sexual medicine.

[1] Research method: online CAWI survey conducted on the reaktoropinii.pl research panel owned by Pollster Research Institute. Research sample: a representative sample of men aged 18-69 (consistent with the population structure provided by the CSO as part of the census). The survey included 1,078 questionnaires. Survey completion date: July 2024

[2] https://www.pap.pl/aktualnosci/gus-kobiety-i-mezczyzni-w-polsce-zyja-coraz-dluzej-ale-nie-tak-dlugo-jak-w-innych

Source: press mat.