What are some men’s health concerns?
Your risk for chronic disease rises as you get older. Yet dangerous conditions like clogged arteries and heart attacks are increasingly occurring in young adulthood.
The top health concerns in men include:
- Low testosterone
- Erectile dysfunction
- Enlarged prostate
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Depression
- Cancer (especially lung, prostate, colon and skin cancers)
Your provider at Prosperity Internal Medicine can help you prevent these conditions when you schedule routine, preventive health care appointments.
How does low testosterone affect men’s health?
Low testosterone can come from a health problem called hypogonadism (when your body doesn’t produce enough testosterone).
But you can be healthy and still have the problem. After age 30, men’s testosterone levels drop by up to 2% every year, creating a noticeable change around age 45.
Testosterone has a widespread role in your body. As a result, low testosterone causes the following symptoms:
- Low sex drive (reduced libido)
- Erectile dysfunction (ED)
- Reduced muscle mass and strength
- Loss of armpit and pubic hair
- Difficulty concentrating
- Male infertility
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
If your provider diagnoses low testosterone or any other health condition, they develop a personalized treatment plan that may include lifestyle changes, supplements, and medications.
Which men’s health services might I receive?
Some of the services you receive mimic a typical physical exam. Your provider reviews your medical history, learns about any health concerns you have, and performs a complete physical.
But a men’s health exam also focuses on your unique concerns, including
Erectile dysfunction (ED)
In addition to low testosterone, many physical conditions can cause ED, from high blood pressure and clogged arteries to diabetes and being overweight. Your provider finds the underlying cause and recommends treatments that restore your sexual health.
Enlarged prostate
Your prostate gland gradually enlarges throughout adulthood. If it gets too large, it pushes against the urethra, the tube carrying urine from your bladder through your penis.
An enlarged prostate does not cause or increase your risk of prostate cancer. But you’ll need treatment if you have difficulty urinating, awaken during the night to urinate, or have a slow or weak urine stream.
Prostate cancer
Your provider performs prostate testing to screen for cancer.
Call Prosperity Internal Medicine or use the online booking tool to schedule a men’s health appointment today.