We know men are increasingly reluctant to go to the doctor, and the data are alarming: in fact, about 3/4 of the males refuse to go to a specialist to keep their health under control. And this not only for the fear of the white coat but rather for a real syndrome. It is known as Superman Syndrome which makes most men believe they are invincible. But it’s time for kids to start taking their health seriously too.
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Super Syndrome, that’s when a man has to run to the doctor
Experts from the University of Leeds, as reported by The Sun, found that deaths from heart attacks increased by a fifth during the pandemic, while pacemaker operations fell by 49% and waiting times for medical assistance were increased by 69 minutes, which means men need to seek help, whatever the problem, as soon as possible.
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Never underestimate the symptoms
The stories reported by the British media testify that the situation is truly worrying.
Parn Shah, 46, an accountant, thought he only had indigestion when in reality he was in danger of losing his life. «Looking back I don’t know why I didn’t recognize what was happening to me»explains Parn, who lives in Barnet, north London, with his wife Rakhee, 44, a holistic fertility therapist. In November 2020 he suffered from a severe stomach ache, but he thought the illness was due to a «suspicious lunch». But that was not the case. The next day she woke up in excruciating, feverish pain. When he gasped in the bathtub, his wife 111 sent him an ambulance.
Parn recalled: «Even when the paramedics arrived, I kept apologizing for wasting time. I thought I had indigestion» In fact, the 46-year-old was having a heart attack and, even his family history with his father who had suffered a cardiac arrest, had not helped him to worry.
«I do not smoke. I am a light drinker. I don’t even eat red meat. I am not obese. You would never think I was going to have a heart attack». Paren underwent surgery to insert a stent and spent three weeks in the hospital after suffering severe internal bleeding caused by a bursting stomach artery. «I thought I was going to die». But he did it and now he wants other men to get the medical care they need. «Men are very proud and often don’t like asking for help. It is time for men to start taking their health more seriously».
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The stories
And Matthew Wiltshire, 55, agrees too. The man, a father of two, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in April 2015 after noticing some related bowel movements.
He remembered those moments: «The doctor said not to worry. I was 48, and too young for bowel cancer: I thought I just ate too much steak and red wine». Colonoscopy was prescribed to him just for safety and the outcome was not the best: colon cancer. Then his life changed but now he wants to be a support to all those men who feel invincible. «My biggest message to anyone with any symptoms would be to address them. Don’t put it off if you have symptoms – a brief conversation, even if it embarrasses you, could save your life».
Signs to watch out for
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Hair loss
In most cases this is absolutely normal in men because they can be prone to hair loss mainly due to genetic inheritance, but sometimes there may be other causes behind this that should not be underestimated, such as fungal infections and stress.
Dr Thuva Amuthan, founder of Dr. Derme Skin And Aesthetics Clinic in London, says: «Hair loss can be daunting, especially in the first few years. If you are losing your hair, it is important to seek help as soon as possible»
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Sagging breasts
Often we focus on the belly, but the man’s breasts could also tell us something about his lifestyle. Saggy breasts may be due to poor diet and lack of exercise, or alcohol abuse.
The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, about six pints. «Men need testosterone to suppress breast tissue, and alcohol can disrupt testosterone production in the liver, which could lead to sagging breasts.»explains Dr. Robert Lefever. «Sometimes this could hide a more serious cause, such as liver disease or kidney problems. If you don’t drink and eat right, it’s worth talking to your primary care physician to rule out anything that might be a cause for concern».
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Stress should not be underestimated or hidden
Men often put their feelings aside. Believing oneself invincible removes the possibility of being a “victim” of stress, depression and anxiety. But it’s not fair to bury your head in the sand. Dr. Steve Robertson, Movember’s mental health consultant and Emeritus Professor of Men, Gender and Health at Leeds Beckett University, says: «Hiding one’s feelings can result in outward outbursts of emotion in the form of violence, including self-harm or self-destructive behavior. Engaging in physical activity, especially with friends, has great health benefits. Go for a walk, have a coffee with a friend or go fishing with them»suggest. «And don’t be afraid to ask your friends how they are and when you get the usual, ‘Yeah, great’, probe a little deeper or open up about how you are really doing yourself.»
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Bleeding gums
The male gender is more likely to suffer from gum disease, according to dentist and founder of Icy Bear Dental Care, Dr. Hanna Kinsella. «Symptoms of gum disease that are often ignored are red, swollen, painful and bleeding gums»dice.
«These symptoms tend to get swept under the rug in the hope that they will go away. It is really important to pay attention to these symptoms and take action by visiting the dentist as soon as possible. If left untreated, gum disease can become a serious infection that causes soft tissue damage and can lead to tooth loss. It has also been linked to other health problems including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke».
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Persistent cough
«Just because we have a new disease, Covid, doesn’t mean the old ones are gone»explains Dr. Rachel Ward. «If you have a persistent new cough that lasts more than three weeks, then you need to go to the doctor». A cough is only an integral part of life and can take up to six weeks to go away, but if it doesn’t go away, in extreme cases it could be a sign of lung cancer.
Beer belly
«A large waist circumference is a great warning sign for heart problems»says NHS cardiologist Aseem Malhotra.
«If your waist circumference measures more than half of your height, then you should be worried. So, if you are 180cm tall, your waist should be less than 90cm. If this is the case, it is important that you go to your family doctor to have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked and have a diabetes test. «Even if you don’t have heart problems now, unless you shift your weight it is very likely that you will suffer from heart problems in the future.».
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Chest pain
Chest pain should never be ignored. «It doesn’t have to be the kind of chest pain you see on TV when someone shakes their hand to their chest and falls to the ground»spiega Aseem. «If, while walking, you have any signs of heaviness in your chest, arm or if you feel out of breath, consult your family doctor to have it checked. It could be a sign of an impending heart problem, especially if you are 40 or older».
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Blood in the stool
«None of us like to talk about our bowel habits, but if you see blood in your stool or notice that your bowel habits have changed, you have lost weight, you have unexplained fatigue or continuous pain in the abdomen, it could be a sign that you have a bowel. cancer»warns Dr. Rachel. «Many people put the bleeding in heaps and postpone the checkup. But as a primary care physician, I tell you that talking about your insides and it could save your life».
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Nodules in the testicles
«Men can be embarrassed to have a lump checked in their testicle, so there are justifications for themselves to avoid the ‘just a cyst’ check.»says Dr. Rachel. «As a family doctor, no part of the body embarrasses me. It is part of my daily work. If you have an unexplained lump, wherever it is in the body, consult your GP». Men should self-test regularly. And to do this you would have to roll a testicle between the thumb and the other fingers, looking for hard lumps, which could hurt. The advice of the specialists is to check yourself in the shower, because thanks to the hot water the testicles will be more relaxed.
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Tingling in the feet
Podiatrist Emma McConnachie, spokesperson for the Royal College of Podiatry, says: «If you are experiencing a change in the feel of your feet, slower healing of cuts, or recurring skin infections, this could be an early warning sign for diabetes. Type 2 diabetes in particular can be present for years before the marks are detected in the feet and can cause a lot of damage during that time. Also, be on the lookout for increased thirst, urge to urinate, tiredness and hunger, and dry mouth, which are also warning signs».