By Virginia ‘Ginya’ Carnahan, APR, CPRC – Dattoli Cancer Center & Brachytherapy Research Institute
Okay – our short-lived spring has passed; kids are out of school; vacations are starting and Father’s Day signals the official start of summer! This is the perfect time for all you Dads to consider an annual check-up. (Yeh – right! I can just see your eyes rolling.)
Well guys, women are trained to expect regular physical-medical check-ups on an annual basis, but you fellows … not so much. Because of women’s reproductive maturation process, most girls get indoctrinated into the annual physician visit in their teens. And, most follow that routine throughout their lives. Could that be why, as a whole, women live longer than men?
Perhaps it is not quite as important for young men to have annual physicals, but as man matures and begins to shoulder more responsibility, it just makes sense to get a check-up … especially when they become fathers.
Many of the serious health threats to young and middle age men can be prevented or controlled through early diagnosis. We’re talking about heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, certain cancers, respiratory diseases, kidney disease and even suicide. This is scary stuff!
Think about this – don’t you get your automobile serviced on a regular basis, so it will continue to function efficiently? You depend on your car for daily commutes, weekend jaunts, family vacations. Is your vehicle more important than own body? Hardly! Just as you periodically check the oil, change the air filters and rotate the tires, you should do a little routine maintenance on your body and brain.
Everyone needs to know what his normal blood pressure is – and if it is high, he should learn the techniques of lowering it to prevent a stroke, heart attack or aneurism. Hypertension can kill you – it also can debilitate you and leave you a burden on your family.
Along that same line, everyone needs to know what their blood sugar level is, especially if there is a history of diabetes in the family. By learning and adopting a proper diet, some diabetics can control their disease without drugs; likewise a low salt diet can reduce the impact of hypertension.
I recently read an article by a renowned physician who quoted one of his patients who called the annual PSA blood test for prostate cancer a human “check engine” light. Great analogy. The PSA won’t reveal that you have prostate cancer – it will only tell you that something is not “normal.” Coupled with the DRE (digital rectal exam – forgive me for stretching the analogy to call this a “dip stick” exam) the physician is given information that may indicate further exams are needed to rule out prostate cancer.
Speaking of prostate cancer, just because you are 35 years old, don’t think this topic excludes you. While most prostate cancers are found in men in their 60’s, there have been cases of younger men – even in their 20’s – who have developed this most common, non-skin cancer in men. It is good to know your risks (family history, exposure to certain chemicals, etc.), the symptoms and how this disease can be treated. We recommend that men get a baseline PSA test sometime in his 40’s, then on a regular basis beginning around 50.
Here’s a great idea – celebrate your manhood during June by making an appointment for a routine physical. Get all your parts and fluids checked so you can drive on into the sunset with confidence and pride!
Dattoli Cancer Center
1-877-DATTOLI | www.dattoli.com