Five health risks to ask about at your next men's health physical

June is National Men’s Health Month, an ideal time to pause and reevaluate your health or have important conversations with loved ones. While men’s health matters all year long, making an intentional effort to reevaluate habits can save or prolong a person’s life.

As a family medicine specialist, I recommend making an appointment with your doctor to address specific health concerns. All men over age 50 should have an annual physical, while younger men can plan to see their family doctor at least once every three years. 

More men than women have died of COVID-19 over the past year, according to statistics from the National Institutes of Health, likely due in part to underlying health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

If I could give just some overall advice, it would be to be kind to yourself and pay attention to your personal needs. Take the time to work on your mental and physical wellbeing. That’s key at any age.

An annual physical for men age 50 and older should cover these five health topics:

Heart health: Blood pressure, cholesterol and weight are routinely assessed at medical appointments. Cholesterol screenings should be done at least every five years.

Diabetes: A diabetes screening takes place with a simple hemoglobin A1C blood test. Blood sugar should be checked every year during middle age to monitor changes.

Cancer and additional screenings related to smoking: The American Cancer Society lists smoking as the cause of about 20% of cancer cases in the U.S. and 30% of cancer deaths.
Men over age 50 with a history of smoking should be screened for lung cancer; a history of smoking is defined as having smoked one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years or two packs per day for 10 years. After age 65, men who have smoked more than 100 cigarettes in the course of their lifetime should also be screened for an ultrasound of the abdomen to check for aortic aneurysm.

Men age 50 and over should schedule a colonoscopy. Prostate cancer is also a topic of discussion patients should bring up with their doctor. Not every office screens for the disease but some individuals, especially those with risk factors or a family history of prostate cancer, should be checked with a blood test and office exam.

Vaccines: In addition to an annual flu shot, patients over age 65 can expect to get their pneumonia vaccines. The 13 valent should first be given at age 65, then the 23 valent a year later. Around age 50, patients can also get a vaccine to prevent shingles, an illness characterized by rash and fever. If you have not already been vaccinated against COVID-19, the vaccine is available for all adult age groups in Oklahoma, as well as for children ages 12+.