9 common problems that men should see a doctor about regularly

Unlike women, men tend to skip the 6-month or 1-year health check-ups recommended by the Ministry of Health, unless forced by their employers or faced with constant pain. This can be considered the biggest reason why men's average life expectancy is 5-10 years lower than that of women, and at the same time, medical intervention is no longer effective if men suffer from diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc. Therefore, no matter how busy you are, you should see a doctor regularly to check for these 9 common problems right away. Leonardo will discuss the details of the problems in today's article, follow along until the end!

Common problems men should check regularly

Regular health check-ups not only help men protect their health better but also provide timely treatment if a disease is detected.

1/ Check blood sugar

Checking blood sugar levels is something that men should do every year to prevent and reduce the risk of diabetes. Accordingly, diabetes is considered a chronic disease mainly caused by high blood sugar levels. If not treated well, diabetes will significantly increase the risk of heart disease, kidney disease and other complications such as erectile dysfunction, affecting the nervous system, etc.

Therefore, to take the best care of men's health, this is an issue that you need to have a regular check-up once a year to be able to prevent and treat early before they develop beyond control. If detected early, men can easily improve their blood sugar levels with a scientific diet and regular exercise.

2/ Skin check

Vietnamese men are still quite shy about covering up when going out. However, our country's climate is very harsh, with intense sunlight and high temperatures, causing the rate of burns, sunburns and, more dangerously, skin cancer to increase. Therefore, visit your doctor regularly for timely treatment when your skin has problems.

Advice: The most effective way to take care of men's health in this case is to use sunscreen and cover up carefully when exposed to the sun, and see a doctor immediately if you detect any unusual skin conditions such as blistering, the appearance of many moles, etc.

3/ Prostate cancer screening

According to research in recent years, one in seven men tested will have prostate cancer. Besides skin cancer, this is the most common form of cancer in men. Currently, the simplest way to detect prostate cancer is the antigen test, blood PSA test or digital rectal exam (DRE).

4/ Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is a rite of passage for men (and women) over 50, as this is when the risk of colon cancer increases. This is especially true for men with a history of bowel disease and a long-term diet high in animal fat.

If a man has no family history of colon disease, a screening colonoscopy should be performed at age 50. Subsequent colonoscopies should occur every 3 to 10 years, based on the results of the previous colonoscopy.

5/ Check blood pressure and cholesterol

High blood pressure is the number one cause of stroke not only in men but also in people of all ages, if not monitored and controlled, it will be very serious. In addition, high cholesterol can also lead to serious cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack or stroke. These problems are very common in older men if they do not have a scientific lifestyle.

Advice: Men 20 and older should have their cholesterol checked every 3-5 years, and then annually after age 50 .

6/ Echocardiography

Heart-related problems are arguably the most important part of men’s health care. They can be detected by simple cholesterol tests, weight management, and blood pressure monitoring. If your family has a history of heart disease or you have high cholesterol, be diligent in going to the hospital at least once every 6 months to check for heart-related problems. Prevention is better than cure.

7/ Liver enzyme test

Liver enzyme testing is part of the blood test and the cause of liver damage can come from many aspects, most of which are alcohol and other stimulants. Therefore, men need to check their liver enzymes regularly to avoid high liver enzymes and complications such as cirrhosis and more seriously, liver cancer. This process happens quite quickly if not treated promptly.

8/ Thyroid check

The thyroid gland helps every cell function smoothly by secreting hormones that regulate metabolism. Any changes in the hormones secreted by the thyroid gland can cause men's health to be exhausted, tired, gain weight... Currently, checking the thyroid gland is quite simple, usually through a blood test to check if its function is working properly.

9/ Lung screening

Among the common cancers today, lung cancer is the most preventable. The majority of people with lung-related diseases, 90%, have a history of smoking, the remaining 10% are due to genetics or have been exposed to cigarette smoke regularly. However, the number of people with respiratory diseases tends to increase rapidly, especially in the era when the Covid pandemic is still not under control, so regular lung screening is very necessary at this time.

Things Men Should Do to Live Healthier

Illness is something that few people want to happen to themselves, however, there are many diseases that can be screened and prevented with a healthy lifestyle. If you feel that your life is out of balance, you can change it with the following habits :

• Exercise: walking, jogging, gym, yoga… are the activities you can choose that are suitable for you. Exercising 3-4 days for about 35-40 minutes can prevent cardiovascular disease, blood fat…
• Balanced diet: a diet rich in fiber, loaded with vitamins from vegetables and fruits, minimizing animal fat and limiting processed foods and sugary drinks is being encouraged by nutritionists for everyone to adopt.
• Drink about 2 liters of water per day, including juice and filtered water.
• Go to bed early and get at least 7 hours of sleep every night.
• Limit alcohol and other alcoholic beverages.
• Say no to cigarettes.

Men's health seems to be very stable in their younger years. But it will quickly decline if neglected and not cared for. So, guys, visit your doctor regularly with Leonardo 's 9 lists in the article.