Gentlemen, Call Your Doctor

According to the CDC, women are 33 percent more likely to visit the doctor than men and 100 percent better at maintaining screening and preventive care. This is one of the reasons US women live an average of six years longer than US men. Of course, many men are diligent about managing their health but sadly, many aren’t, and the consequences can be life-threatening.

Reasons for Avoiding the Doctor

Why are men often reluctant to visit the doctor? There are a multitude of reasons, but some of the most common include:

• Latrophobia. From the Greek “iatros”, meaning healer, and phobos, meaning fear, iatrophobia means fear of the doctor. Men and women with this phobia may ignore or minimize disease symptoms until they end up in the hospital.
• Stoicism and traditional gender roles play a part in doctor avoidance. Some men downplay health issues because they believe they must always be strong and self-reliant and feel that seeking care makes them vulnerable.
• Overconfidence. Some guys, especially those in their 20s, 30s, or 40s see themselves as “naturally healthy.” Doctors sometimes refer to this as “superman syndrome”. Embarrassment. Men may feel embarrassed about issues around sexual health or body functions, or uncomfortable with prostate and testicular exams.
• Fear of bad news. Some men, as well as women, are afraid of receiving a serious diagnosis or being told they need to give up dangerous substances like alcohol, tobacco, or recreational drugs.
• Time constraints. Work and family get in the way of regular doctor visits. Mistrust in the medical system. A man may be reluctant to seek care if a friend or family member has had a negative healthcare experience.

Whatever your reason for avoiding the doctor, it’s not a good idea, no matter how young and seemingly healthy you are. You could have a serious illness that will go undiagnosed when it’s at its most treatable, or you could show early signs of a chronic condition such as diabetes, that a few lifestyle changes could control or even reverse.

Monitor, Manage, and Maintain Your Health

Staying on top of your health is essential if you want to live a long and active life. Below are the most important aspects of your health you need to pay attention to.

Your Lifestyle

Brace yourself – here comes the lecture! If you’re middle aged and older, you have probably heard it before, but whatever your age, a healthy lifestyle is the key to staying well. Eat a healthy, low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Go easy on the sugar and salt. Don’t have more than two alcoholic drinks a day or binge drink. The CDC defines binge drinking for men as consuming 5 or more drinks in two hours. Of the yearly 178,000 alcohol-related deaths in the US, one third were from drinking on a single occasion. Stop smoking – and not just cigarettes, and don’t vape. Vaping nicotine can cause lung damage and the vapor contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals, some of which are known carcinogens. If you don’t exercise, it’s time to get off the couch, but talk to your doctor first. They can help you devise a safe workout plan you can stick with. If you bike or play contact sports, wear a helmet and protective gear.

Your Test and Vaccine Schedule

Immunizations and screenings are essential parts of a regular checkup.

• All adults 18 and older should be immunized for flu, Hepatitis B, and, if they didn’t receive the shot in their teens, the combined Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis vaccine (Tdap).
• Adults 50 and older should get the shingles vaccine.
• Adults 60 and older should be immunized against RSV.
• Adults 65 and older should get the pneumococcal vaccine.
• Anyone born in 1957 or later needs to ask their doctor whether they need the Measles/Mumps/Rubella vaccine (MMR).

All men, even those in their 20s and 30s, benefit from screenings for skin cancer, hepatitis B, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. Diabetes screening starts at age 35 and screenings for colorectal cancer are now recommended for adults 45 and older. Screenings for prostate cancer generally start at 50 unless a man has risk factors.

Your Cardiovascular System

Heart health begins with a heart-to-heart with your healthcare provider. It’s essential to know your risk factors and get a baseline of your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Cardiovascular disease is responsible for one in four male deaths each year. It is likely no coincidence that 50 percent of all men (vs. 44 percent of women) have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease. Tobacco, excess drinking, obesity, and high cholesterol are all risk factors for heart disease. High blood pressure, while more common in men over 45, can be diagnosed in men of all ages, including those in their 20s. AFib too, while more common starting in middle age, sometimes occurs in young people.

Your Urinary and Sexual Health

The American Urological Association links multiple sexual partners and negative attitudes about condom use to an elevated risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and testicular conditions. Unless you are in a committed, monogamous relationship, be sure to wear a condom when you have sex. Testicular cancer is the second most common cancer, after melanoma skin cancer, in men ages 20 to 39. If you discover a lump in one of your testicles, make an appointment to see the doctor right away. Benign prostate hyperplasia, or (BPH), can start as early as your 40s, but it becomes more common in men over 50. If you experience urinary problems, don’t hesitate to see your doctor. Blood in the urine, as Doug experienced in the story at the beginning of this article, is cause for an immediate doctor’s appointment.

Your Vision and Hearing

According to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders, men are twice as likely to experience hearing loss as women. Young men need to be proactive about protecting their hearing – listening to loud music, whether at a concert or through earphones, can damage the delicate hair cells in the inner ear, leading to permanent hearing loss. Older men with hearing loss are sometimes reluctant to wear hearing aids. Tuning out the world in this way is isolating and can elevate the risk of dementia.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that adults have an eye exam with an ophthalmologist once in their 20s and twice in their 30s. For those between 40 and 64, a vision test is recommended every two years. Men 65 and older should have a yearly comprehensive eye exam.

Your Mental Health

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. In fact, the two can negatively impact each other, with health issues causing stress and depression and emotional issues leading to poor sleep, overeating, drinking too much, and lack of exercise. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 6.2% of adult U.S. men – one in 16 –experience a major depressive episode each year. Yet many men don’t realize that there’s more to depression than feeling blue or sad. You may find yourself being unusually irritable and quick to anger. You could be engaging in risky behavior, have difficulty concentrating, or notice puzzling changes in appetite or sleep patterns. You might experience physical issues like fatigue, headaches, digestive problems, or sexual dysfunction and not realize they are linked to depression. If you have been feeling like you are somehow “not yourself,” it could be due to depression – another reason not to put off that yearly check up!

Ready to take control and prioritize your health? Schedule an annual visit with your primary care provider today. Find a doctor who best meets your needs here.

This article first appeared in the June 2025 edition of the HealthPerks newsletter.