Men’s Health: symptoms that you should not ignore

Dr. Govardhan Reddy, Lead Consultant - Urology & Uro Oncology, Aster CMI Hospital 

Health is not gender-specific. It is important for everyone to get a regular check-up regardless of age, gender, and have a balanced diet. Multiple studies show that men are ignorant about health and are highly susceptible to a lot of health problems. However, feeling healthy and being healthy are different terms, and ignoring symptoms until it gets worse can complicate the body. To lead a healthy life, we have to work on our body while we are young. Hitting 40 also indicates health has a pivotal role and ignoring it might cost our lives.  If you experience any of these signs, consider getting a health check-up done immediately

Difficulty in passing urine

Frequent urine, feeling thirsty, pain while passing urine, are some of the signs that could possibly indicate signs of trouble. For example, a blood spot in urine can be a sign of some infection, or in some cases, be one of the early signs of prostate cancer or kidney stones. Frequent visits to the loo can be a sign of a bladder infection, urinary tract infection, diabetes, or indicate something wrong with your kidneys or the heart. This is one of the main signs of prostate cancer, which is the most diagnosed cancer in all men. Common signs and symptoms of Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) include frequent or urgent need to urinate, increased frequency of urination at night (nocturia), difficulty starting urination, dribbling at the end of urination, and incapability to fully clear the bladder.

Enlarged testicles and unnoticing moles

The testicles are very sensitive, and even a minor injury can cause testicle pain or discomfort. Having enlarged testicles is one of the main symptoms of testicular cancer. It is one of the rare diseases. Testicular lumps are common aged between 15 years to 34 years. Any moles or changes in skin texture, lumps, or swelling in other parts of the body should not be ignored for long as well. Few signs of testicular cancer include a lump or enlargement in either testicle, a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum, a dull ache in the abdomen or groin, sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum, pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum. It is curable if treated at an early stage.

Erectile dysfunction

Diseases that can cause erectile dysfunction include diabetes, heart disease, atherosclerosis, kidney disease, neurologic disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, and vascular disease. These conditions affect a man's ability to achieve an erection by damaging nerves, smooth muscles, arteries, and tissues. Erectile dysfunction is a common issue men face with age, but a lot of people do not consider it as a medical condition. Conditions like severe diabetes, any form of addiction lead to erectile dysfunction. Stress is another reason for this.

Excessive thirst

It's important to intake 2-3 Litres of water (or, at least 8-10 glasses) every day. While it's common to feel thirsty some days, chronically experiencing excessive thirst or drinking too much water in a day may be a warning sign of hyperglycemia. A family with a diabetes history should get checked immediately and follow up with the doctor. A man should drink lots of water to maintain his health. However, excessive thirst is also an indication of possible internal bleeding, severe infection, or a failure of the heart, liver, or kidneys.

Peyronie’s disease (Penile Curvature)

It is a condition resulting from fibrous scar tissue that develops on the penis and causes curved penis which leads to painful erections. This can prevent having sex or might make it difficult to maintain an erection (erectile dysfunction). For many men, Peyronie's disease also causes stress and anxiety. Erections can also be challenging if the nerves or blood vessels of the penis have been damaged by inflammation or trauma to the penis, which is associated with Peyronie’s disease. Few symptoms include a lump in the penis, shortening of the penis, soft erections, and narrowing of the penis shaft. Massage and a few exercises recommended by doctors can treat this disease.

Low Testosterone

Testosterone plays a vital role in men’s bodies, including muscle and bone health, cognition, red blood cell, and sperm formation, and sexual and reproductive function in males. However, testosterone levels can decline for various reasons, including stress, aging, and certain health conditions, such as hypogonadism. Symptoms include extra body weight, loss of muscle, low sex drive, low ejaculation volume, and deprived sleep. Though hair loss is hereditary, low testosterone also plays a role.