This week is National Mens Health Week so the following is all about Mens Health, some good links and the message is clear, to all the males out there, get to the Doctor early rather than hoping something will go away. Early detection means a higher chance of a successful outcome.
National Men’s Health Week:
National Men’s Health Week (NHMW) was first held in June 2002 and is celebrated each year in the week leading up to and including Fathers’ Day.
The purpose of Men’s Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.
Heart disease remains the single biggest health problem for men, which is why the Men’s Health Forum has chosen this theme to kick off their “You Only Live Once” (YOLO) campaign for 2012. However, we mustn’t forget that almost 43,000 men are diagnosed with a form of male-specific cancer each year in the UK and the Everyman Campaign throughout the month of June is focusing on male cancer awareness.
Important checks and advice for men
Ask any man how he is feeling and the chances are the reply will be “fine”. But did you know that about one third of men report a long-standing illness, with musculoskeletal problems by far the biggest problem of all, followed by cardiovascular disease. Also roughly one third of all men in the UK have raised blood pressure.
Other men’s health issues consist of high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and smoking & alcohol consumption. Statistics show that proportionally men die earlier than women in all age groups.
The average male life expectancy at birth is just 75 and in some areas and among certain groups of men it is 5 -6 years lower.
On average men in the UK visit their GP 40% less frequently than women
More than one male death in six is caused under 75 is caused by coronary heart disease
The incidence of prostate cancer has increased over 135% in England and Wales since 1971
The number of men with testicular cancer has more than doubled in England and Wales since 1971.
There is a higher incidence of prostate cancer in black men than their white counterparts.
Testicular Problems
Embarrassing as it may be, testicular problems are no laughing matter. Testicular issues affect thousands of men in the UK at some point in their lives and while many lumps turn out to be benign, testicular cancer kills many every year.
The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a painless swelling or lump in one of the testicles.
Fortunately, the treatment for testicular cancer is largely successful and around 95% of those who undergo treatment are cured.
The earlier the cancer is discovered, the more successful treatment will be. So the message must be – if you notice any swelling or lumps on your testicles or scrotum, go and see your GP.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and kills one man every hour in the UK.
Men may have any of the symptoms of prostate disease (e.g. difficulty in passing urine or frequency in urinating, pain when ejaculating), or indeed no symptoms at all. In fact, it is important to note that most men with symptoms of prostate disease do not go on to develop prostate cancer.
However the message must be – if you are having difficulties, consult your GP.
You Only Live Once – “YOLO”
Three times as many men as women die from coronary heart disease (CHD) before their 75th birthday. This year's Men's Health Week message is clear: you only live once – so get involved and get active!
CHD accounts for around 117,000 deaths in the UK each year and approximately one in four of these deaths are in men. A number of risk factors have been identified, the most important ones are:
· Lack of cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF). People who do not exercise are twice as likely to have a heart attack as those who exercise regularly. Men can cut their risk of dying from CHD in half by becoming moderately fit.
· Obesity: The best way to treat obesity is to reduce the calories in your diet and to exercise more
· High blood pressure – Around 30% of people in England have high blood pressure but many don’t know it. If left untreated, high blood pressure increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke. The only way of knowing there is a problem is to have your blood pressure measured. All adults should have their BP checked at least every 5 years.
· High cholesterol level - Cholesterol is a fat made by the liver from the saturated fat that we eat. Cholesterol is essential for healthy cells, but if there is too much in the blood it can lead to CHD.
www.nhs.uk/livewell/healthyhearts/pages/cholesterol.aspx
· Smoking: best advice – quit! www.smokefree.nhs.uk/
· High Alcohol Intake - There's no guaranteed safe level of drinking, but if you drink less than the recommended daily limits, the risks of harming your health is lower. http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/
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