Preventive care urged during Men’s Health Month

With many diseases, symptoms often don’t appear until later stages— when conditions are more serious and harder to treat. June is Men’s Health Month, and Piedmont is urging men to take a proactive health approach by prioritizing annual physicals and regular screenings.

Men are significantly less likely than women to seek medical care or report symptoms, and more likely to wait until something feels serious before getting care. As a result, men are more likely to develop chronic conditions that could have been prevented or detected earlier.

“Men, it’s perfectly fine to drop the tough guy act and get medical care— you will not be perceived as weak if you see a doctor,” said family medicine Dr. Richard Horak II with Piedmont Primary Care of Auburn.  “Don’t wait for symptoms to appear, waiting may only make your problems worse.”

Dr. Horak recommends the following key preventive screenings for men:

• Annual physical: By checking vital signs like blood pressure, weight and heart rate, physicians can often detect early warning signs of chronic conditions. Routine checkups also allow your provider to recommend preventive care, screenings and vaccines tailored to your health history.
• Heart disease risk assessment: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among men over 40. It’s important to know your numbers: regular monitoring of blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight can help reduce risk and prevent serious complications.
• Colorectal cancer screening: The American Cancer Society recommends beginning regular screenings at age 45 for those at average risk. Early detection significantly improves outcomes.
• Lung cancer screening: Recommended annually for adults aged 50 to 80 with a significant smoking history who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.
• Prostate cancer screening: As the second-most common cancer in men in the U.S., prostate cancer screening should be discussed with a healthcare provider based on age and individual risk factors.

Dr. Horak also encourages men to prioritize mental health screenings, which can often be completed during a primary care visit, annual skin cancer checks and other screenings based on personal and family history.