American Men Live Sicker & Die Younger Than Women

Shining a Light on Men's Health Issues During Men's Health Month

By Lindsay Rucinsky, Family Nurse Practitioner

June is Men’s Health Month, the purpose of which is to heighten awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. I’ve compiled some quick read information on three of the most common men’s health concerns below.

Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

· Nearly 30 million men struggle with erectile dysfunction.

· There are many causes to ED - physical, emotional and combination

o Medical problems contributing to, or causing ED include heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, alcoholism, back injuries, testosterone deficiency (very rarely), prostate problems, surgery and over 200 different prescription drugs!

· Most insurance companies cover treatment options for ED.

· There are modifiable habits that can be changed to help treat/prevent ED

o Eat a low-fat, low-sodium, low-cholesterol diet.

o Quit smoking. Chemicals in cigarette smoke can narrow blood vessels, making it harder to maintain an erection.

o Drink less alcohol. Alcohol slows your body’s reaction times.

o Get more exercise. Exercise builds muscle, improves blood flow and helps get the cholesterol out of your blood. It also improves your mood, which will make you feel better about yourself.

o Cut back on coffee.

Prostate Cancer

· Second leading cause of death in men.

· One in 9 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

· Some men are at higher risk for developing prostate cancer

o African American Men

o Those with family history of prostate cancer

o Men exposed to agent orange

o More prominent in elderly males

· The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test is used mainly to screen for prostate cancer in men without symptoms. It’s also one of the first tests done in men who have symptoms that might be caused by prostate cancer.

Depression

Do you have someone to talk to? 30% of men experience depression, yet only 1 in 4 actually talk about.

· Those suffering from anxiety or depression may appear as angry or aggressive.

· Coping mechanisms for these emotions may result in turning to alcohol or drugs.

· Some mental health issues can appear as physical symptoms such as racing heart, chest tightness, indigestion or headaches.

· Males complete suicide at a rate four times that of females, however they attempt suicide less than women.

· Montana ranks in the top five for suicide rates in the nation.

In all three of these very common men’s health concerns, you are not alone. Your health care provider is there to help you. Take time to talk to your provider in a safe space where your mental health is just as high a priority as your physical health. But in order for us to help you, we have to be able to see you. It’s imperative that you make and keep your appointments for yearly lab work and exams. Early diagnosis and treatment saves lives. Change the statistics, change your life!