In our world, medical information speeds up as fast as a bullet, with more advances, new technologies and treatment plans than we can keep up with. For men, medical advice can come from anyone between your spouse, your neighbor, your mother, and your boss, and it could be that none of them are exactly right. Every year, more than 300,000 men lose their lives to cancer (ACS).
Many doctors advise men to follow this guideline with ailments and how vital it is that they are taken care of by a doctor. In this method, the word “caution” is easy to remember. If you have any of the issues that the word “caution” represents, you should visit a doctor or medical professional to get things taken care of.
C- change in bladder or bowel habits
A- a sore that does not heal or takes an abnormal amount of time
U- unusual discharge or bleeding from anywhere in the body
T- thickening or hardening of a lump or nodule anywhere around the body
I- indigestion, frequently, or difficulty swallowing
O- obvious visual and physical change in a mole or wart, or other skin blemish
N- nagging cough or excessive hoarseness
Facts about Men and Cancers
-Most prostate cancers grow slowly and do not cause any other health problems.
-Treatment for any type of cancer can cause serious side effects.
-The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is recommended routinely for boys in their teens to help prevent cancer and other things like genital warts. This vaccine is also recommended for men who are sexually active through age twenty-six, and any man with a compromised immune system. While this vaccine is safe for most, there have been risks associated with it in the past few years. Please check with your doctor to hear how this vaccine could benefit you.
-The most common kinds of cancer affecting men in the United States are skin cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer.
-Learning to live with cancer, understand your treatment and participating actively in your after care are all important aspects of the process.
-Erectile dysfunction is not the end all in terms of intimacy and the sexual self. There are now many options that do not require a medical aspect of intervention. If you are experiencing these side effects, consider checking in to the wide variety of therapeutic, holistic sexual devices made just for the issues you are having by checking out the “Product Reviews and Recommendations” on our website.
Tips for Lowering Your Risk
-Keep an active, healthy lifestyle. Obesity increases the risk of many forms of cancer. By cutting calories and adding a few days of brisk walking to your routine, your body will react to the positive changes. Reduce your consumption of saturated fat and red meat, which increase the risk of colon and prostate cancers. Limit your intake of charbroiled foods and avoid deep-fried, greasy foods. Increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid inflammatory foods and dairy.
–Limit alcohol consumption. Excess alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, larynx or voice box, esophagus, liver, and colon.
–Protect your skin from the sun with outdoors and skip tanning in a tanning bed.
–Monitor when you should have health screenings and follow through with them. (That means make the appointment and go, guys!)
–Do not smoke! Avoid secondhand smoke.
–Get plenty of rest and avoid stress.
–Maintain a positive outlook and mental clarity.
–Get enough vitamin D. Many experts now recommend 800 to 1,000 IU a day, a goal that’s nearly impossible to attain without taking a supplement. Although protection has not been proven, evidence suggests that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, and other cancers in the body.
–Avoid infections that can lead to cancer. This includes many sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV or HPV. Practice safe sex to ensure that you are not exposing yourself to unnecessary risk.
Questions to Ask your Health Care Provider
-What happenings during a screening?
-What is my risk for prostate cancer? Other cancers?
-What age should my screenings begin?
–If I get my blood test, and it is not normal, what other things could I have besides cancer, if anything?
-What is a biopsy, and how is it done?
-What are the side effects or risks of a biopsy?
-If my biopsy shows some cancer cells, what happens next?
-If there are more than one treatment option, please tell me about all of them.
-What are the side effects or risks of each treatment?
-Should I be taking low dose aspirin?
Citations:
American Cancer Society
National Institute of Health and Human Services
Center for Disease Control and Prevention