Making health macho

MEN are notorious for making a fuss about minor ailments but they are potentially risking their health by delaying visiting the doctor to check out the early symptoms of illness.

And it's often simply fear, embarrassment and not wanting to look weak' which makes many ignore danger signals of serious and life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, heart conditions or bowel cancer.

Leading men's health charity, Men's Health Forum, reveals that four in five men delay seeing a doctor about problems.

And the muddled and misguidedly "macho" male approach to health was highlighted in National Men's Health Week, which ran from June 13-19, and focused this year on the health threats of obesity.

Dr Ian Banks, author of new men's health guide HGV Man Manual, says: "Men tend to delay visiting a doctor far longer than women, which leads to later diagnosis, reducing their chances of successful treatment.

"They worry about symptoms but hope they will just get better of their own accord. Most men feel it's not macho to worry about health."

But men can pay a heavy price. Banks points out that a significantly higher proportion of men than women are admitted to hospital as acute cases, which he believes is a direct result of their delay in seeking treatment.

"If you compare the statistics on major killers like heart disease and lung cancer, men easily come out best - from the undertaker's point of view," he says.

"Yet men still tend to think of their bodies in a purely mechanical way - like a car. Unfortunately, while many men look after their cars, most ignore their bodies.

"They are particularly shy about revealing or talking about anything below the waist. They're also often ignorant about what warning signs mean."

His message to men is to take steps to tune up' their general health and realise that many conditions can be avoided or controlled by lifestyle changes, such as taking more exercise and losing weight.

"The first person a man is likely to confide his health fears in is probably a male colleague at work, then a female partner," he says.

"Crucially, talking to a doctor or a health professional is the next step and can increase your life expectancy."

WEIGHT
"If present trends continue, within 10 years 75% of men in the UK will be overweight or obese," Banks says. "Losing weight is one of the most important things men can do to avoid health problems such as diabetes and heart disease and prolong their lives."

Obese men are 33 per cent more likely to die from cancer than men of a healthy weight, and a man who is two stone overweight is twice as likely to have a heart attack.

Half of all 40-year-old men will develop heart disease sometime during their life, and one of the main causes is being overweight.

BLOOD PRESSURE
"Most men who have high blood pressure are completely unaware of that, and few are aware what the normal blood pressure should be" Banks says.

Hypertension - raised blood pressure - puts a strain on the heart which can lead to strokes and heart attacks. Cutting down on salt and alcohol, reducing weight and fat intake, and staying active can help decrease the risk.

Blood pressure can be checked by a doctor or nurse or at selected pharmacies. Impotence can also be an early sign of blood pressure problems, as well as of diabetes.

CHECK TACKLE
"Checking yourself in the shower or bath should be a routine around once a week, to detect any suspicious lumps or bumps," he says. "The majority will not be cancerous but testicular cancer has a high success rate when treated early."

Early detection and treatment can help prevent any reduction in fertility. There are around 1,600 cases of testicular cancer a year, mainly affecting men aged 16-35, and around 100 men die annually.

CHECK EXHAUST
"Poor urinary flow, frequent trips to the toilet, or a persistent feeling of not quite emptying the bladder, can be symptoms of a prostate problem," says Banks.

Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer. British men have a 1 in 12 lifetime risk of developing it, but in the vast majority of cases symptoms may be caused by a non-cancerous enlargement of the gland.

Tests can be carried out to detect it. For information visit www.prostate-research.org.uk Bowel cancer is the second most deadly cancer in the UK - and more men than women will die from it, partly because of late diagnosis.