Even though this is a blog for and about women of a certain age, who better to get the males in our lives to the doctor than us? It seems that most men do not go to the doctor to take regular checkups.
There are guidelines for the ages at which certain tests should be taken. Why not go to the doctor with your husband, friend, son or dad to ask the questions you know they won’t ask? Ask the male(s) in your life to see if their insurance plan covers certain tests since cost seems to be another factor in men going to the doctor.
As men mature (not age), there are certain exams that should be taken such as the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and the Prostate Specimen Antigen (PSA) which test for Prostate Cancer. They should be taken annually for men 50 and over, and age 40 for African-American males. The Testicular Self-Exam should be done monthly for signs of Testicular Cancer. Just as with most cancers, if found early, the patient can be cured.
Maybe the doctor should call these exams part of the Well Man Checkup–just like our Well Woman Checkup. Even though it may take a bit of coercing, take the males in your life to the doctor for their annual checkup. They will thank you–even if they don’t, they will be healthy.
Remember “thisisyourbestyear”.
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