You’ve drafted a QB for your fantasy football team, and now you’re
tracking the stats, watching the rankings...all important numbers. But
your most important call of the season may be to run a hitch route to
your family physician.
It’s no secret that men need to pay more attention to their health.
Because many of the major health risks that men face, like prostate cancer,
can be treated and potentially even cured with early diagnosis, it’s
important to have regular checkups and screenings with a primary care
provider. But according to the National Institutes of Health, men can
often be their own worst enemy because they don’t seek medical help
as often as women.
Can you make the right call? Test your men’s health IQ with the quiz below:
Q: More men die from prostate cancer than any other cancer. True or False?
A: False. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women
in the US. Although prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men,
it is the second leading cause of death. The American Cancer Society estimates
that one in 36 men will die from prostate cancer.
Q: The only way to diagnose prostate cancer is the PSA test. True or False?
A: False. A Prostate Specific Antigen test (PSA test) is only one tool used to
screen for early signs of prostate cancer. Another common screening test,
usually done in addition to a PSA test, is a digital rectal exam. Neither
the PSA test nor the digital rectal exam provides enough information for
your physician to diagnose prostate cancer. Abnormal results in these
tests may lead a doctor to order a prostate biopsy. A diagnosis of cancer
is based on biopsy results.
Q: Men do not get breast cancer. True or False?
A: False. Although the majority of breast cancer patients are women, men can have
breast cancer and die from it. About 1,500 new cases of breast cancer
are diagnosed among men annually, and 400 men die from it each year.
Q: Osteoporosis doesn’t affect men. True or False?
A: False. One out of eight men over the age of 50 is at risk. The disease is under-diagnosed,
under-reported and inadequately researched in men, according to the National
Osteoporosis Foundation. Eating a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D,
avoiding tobacco and limiting excessive alcohol consumption may help combat
the disease.
Q: Men experience menopause. True or False?
A: True. Hormone changes are a natural part of aging. The term “male menopause”
is sometimes used to describe decreasing testosterone levels or a reduction
in the bioavailability of testosterone related to aging. In men, hormones
decline more gradually. The effects include changes in sexual function,
energy level, mood and sleep patterns. Physical changes, like increased
body fat, loss of hair or tender breasts, also are related to hormone
changes in men.
Q: Cholesterol is always bad. True or False?
A: False. There are two types of blood cholesterol: LDL (bad) and HDL (good). Healthy
levels of both types are an important part of a healthy body. Your body
needs cholesterol to produce cell membranes and certain hormones and plays
an important role in other bodily functions.
Q: Men are at greater risk of heart attack than women. True or False?
A: True. Not only are men at greater risk of heart attack than women, they have
heart attacks earlier in life.
Q: Colorectal cancer is a man’s disease, and it can’t be prevented.
True or False?
A: False. Colorectal cancer is just as common among women as men. About 150,000
Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually, and more than
50,000 die from it. In many cases, it can be prevented. Colorectal cancer
almost always starts with a small growth called a polyp. If the polyp
is found early through screening tests like colonoscopy, physicians can
remove it and stop colorectal cancer before it starts.
To schedule an appointment with Drs. Stephen Graham and Brad Lake or Nurse
Practitioner Kimberly Marcel at Northshore Urological Associates at (985)
230-APPT (2778) in Hammond or 1 (844) APPT-NOW (277-8669) in Livingston.