GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Real Men Wear Gowns. That's the message that KARE 11 and our sponsor HealthPartners want men and their families to hear.
It's important for men to get preventative medical exams including annual physicals, dental and eye exams.
Men are 24 percent less likely than women to get regular check-ups. The Real Men Wear Gowns campaign is all about getting men to be more proactive with their health.
COLON CANCER
Jim Louangsaphakdy of Mankato is living proof of how important that is.
He was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer two years ago at just 26 years old. Jim's mom died from the disease and, fresh out of nursing school, he decided to go in and get himself checked.
Dr. Ryan Carlson, a colorectal surgeon at HealthPartners, says colon cancer is very rare in people under the age of 40.
Dr. Carlson says people of average risk should get a colonoscopy every ten years, starting at the age of 50. If it runs in your family, or for African Americans, the recommendation is to start at 45.
PREVENTATIVE CARE
We asked a panel of HealthPartners experts to come to KARE 11 to help us understand what men need to do and how to think beyond just a physical.
Doctor Larry Richmond's specialty is Family Medicine at the Park Nicollet Clinic in Plymouth. He went to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Teresa Slepicka is an optometrist with practices in Bloomington and Shakopee. She graduated from the Arizona College of Optometry at Midwestern University. Dr. Darrell Boychuck is a dentist with Health Partners. He went to the University of Alberta Canada.
Going to the eye doctor is important to help keep your vision sharp. The eyes are also a unique opportunity to detect more serious issues.
The dentist is important as well. Too many men only go to the dentist when there is a problem, but regular visits are important for your health and can help identify other issues. Oral health can be linked to things like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
PROSTATE AND TESTICULAR CANCER
There are two types of cancer that two cancers that are specific to men. Prostate cancer occurs primarily in older men and testicular cancer in younger men. The key to both is early detection.
“Prostate cancer is one of those problems that if you have symptoms, it's already too late to cure it,” says Dr. Laurence O’Connor, urologist with HealthPartners.
Dr. O’Connor says men should start getting screened every year once they hit 55. He says those screenings should start at 45 for African American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer.
Testicular cancer “Testes cancer is a disease of younger men. Peak incidence is of those men under the age of 35,” says Dr. Laurence O'Connor, a Urologist at Health Partners. O’Connor says about 7,500 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer every year in the U.S.
He says men should be doing self-exams starting around the age of 21 to check for lumps.
“Testes cancer usually shows up as a rock hard knot or a marble that's in the meat of the testicle. If you have something like that that's new that you haven't noticed before, that's abnormal and you should have it looked at,” he says.
The outlook is promising if you're diagnosed. Dr. O'Connor says about 95% of men who have it are cured with some sort of treatment.
HEART HEALTH/MENTAL HEALTH
“Cardiovascular disease is a massive umbrella,” says Dr. Paul Sarcia, a cardiologist at HealthPartners.
Dr. Sarcia says cardiovascular disease stretches well beyond heart disease, which is often the first thing that comes to mind.
Dr. Sarcia says cardiovascular disease stretches well beyond heart disease, which is often the first thing that comes to mind.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death across the globe. According to Sarcia, it also includes conditions that we hear about all the time, like high blood pressure and diabetes.
Mental health is also an area that often gets overlooked by men. Struggling with things like anxiety and depression is a very real problem but opening up about it, especially for men, can be tough.
Real Men Wear Gowns is an ongoing partnership between KARE 11 and HealthPartners. You can watch the weekly segments on KARE 11 News at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays.
