With Family Medicine specialist Armani Orihuela, MD
Just as vehicles run better — and last longer — with regular tune-ups and routine maintenance, your health also gets a boost from regular preventative maintenance.
“Simply put, annual checkups and regular screenings save lives,” said Family Medicine specialist Armani Orihuela, MD, with Sarasota Memorial’s First Physicians Group network. “If we catch a problem early, we can treat it much more effectively. We should all be proactive about our health.”
For men, keeping their health running smoothly starts with an annual physical and getting recommended vaccinations and cancer screenings, Dr. Orihuela said. Men who smoke — or have quit smoking — should also consider screenings for lung cancer and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA).
Annual Tune Up
One of the easiest ways to keep tabs on your health is by making time for a yearly check-up with your primary care doctor. Annual physicals serve to establish a medical history and determine a baseline — what’s “normal” for your unique body and health – so your doctor can track any changes as you age and can catch potentially serious health issues early. For men age 50 and older, these routine checkups also may include screening for an enlarged prostate.
Health Screenings for Chronic Conditions
Cholesterol Tests: High cholesterol can lead to serious heart disease or stroke. And while it rarely presents with symptoms, high cholesterol is easy to detect through a simple blood test. Men should get their cholesterol checked once in their 20s (ages 21 to 29), and then begin a consistent screening schedule at age 35, unless directed otherwise by a doctor.
Diabetes: Are you high risk for diabetes or pre-diabetes? Men age 45 or older should have their blood glucose levels checked every 3 years. Note that if you have increased risk factors, your doctor may recommend starting routine diabetes testing at a younger age.
HPV & Men’s Health
Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a sexually transmitted disease that increases a man’s risk of developing throat cancer and penile cancer, and greatly raises a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer. Getting vaccinated against HPV is an important part of preventative care for women, men and teens. Men can protect themselves and their partners by getting vaccinated. The HPV vaccine can be given to adolescents as young as 9, but the CDC recommends it for adults through age 45.
If you’re younger than 45 and have not yet been vaccinated for HPV, talk with your doctor about getting the vaccine as soon as possible.
The AAA Test
An Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm occurs when the lower part of the aorta enlarges or bulges outward. If not caught early, the aneurysm can rupture, causing sudden and life-threatening internal bleeding. The condition is much more prevalent in men, especially men who’ve smoked.
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends that all men ages 65 to 75, who smoke or previously smoked, get a one-time AAA screening. It’s a painless, simple test requiring an ultrasound of the aorta.
Cancer Screening & Prevention
Nearly 2 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2021, according to the American Cancer Society. When it comes to cancer and chronic health conditions, prevention and early detection are key. Below are the general cancer-screening guidelines for men, but you should talk with your doctor about a cancer-screening schedule that’s right for you.
Colon Cancer: Colon cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., and colonoscopy is the gold standard in detecting it. Men should have their first colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer at age 45 and continue with regular colonoscopies every 10 years — unless they experience warning signs, such as persistent lower abdominal pain, bloody stool or changes in bowel habits. At-home stool tests also can be used to screen for colon cancer, but they are not as comprehensive or reliable as a colonoscopy.
Prostate Cancer: When it comes to prostate cancer screening, be sure to discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor to determine whether it’s right for you and how often you should be screened. The most common tests for prostate cancer are a digital rectal exam (DRE) and a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test. Men who are at average risk for developing prostate cancer can begin screening at age 50; for those at increased risk, starting at age 45 is recommended.
Lung Cancer: If you’re a man age 50 to 80, have a 20-pack-year history of smoking tobacco, and currently smoke or quit smoking within the last 15 years, annual lung cancer screening is recommended. The non-invasive, painless screening uses low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) to detect early signs of lung cancer in the chest. The biggest benefit of LDCT is catching lung cancer early, when the chances of being cured are higher. (Eligible patients should confirm LDCT coverage with their insurer.)
Testosterone Screening
Despite the TV commercials and fitness fads, most men do not need to have their testosterone levels checked — unless they have concerning symptoms they’ve already discussed with their doctor.
“There’s no evidence that screening men for testosterone is going to help in the long run,” said Dr. Orihuela. “It just leads to them being on testosterone, which increases prostate risks.”
Keep Your Health Primed
Talk to your doctor today about preventative health maintenance, and how you can get on track for a regular screening schedule.
As a Sarasota Memorial copywriter, local journalist and in-house wordsmith Philip Lederer, MA, crafts a variety of external communications for the healthcare system. He earned his Master’s degree in Public Administration and Political Philosophy from Morehead State University, Ky.