A men’s health checklist

Posted on 25 June 2015

No matter how old you are, if you’re a man, you’re probably avoiding your annual health checkups. Our decade-by-decade guide will show you what to ask for… no matter how old you are.

In your 20s
Ah, the carefree years!

Wise up: If you need to have your wisdom teeth out, the time is now, if not before, otherwise they will lead to years of pain and unnecessary infection in your mouth.
Tuck in (carefully): When you become best friends with Colonel Sanders and Mr McDonald, give a second thought to the man looking back at you in the mirror. Bad eating now may come back to haunt you in your later years (see your 40s). Here are tips to ensure you stay healthy even after leaving mom or dad’s cooking behind.
Get help: Many colleges and universities offer family planning and health counselling services. Don’t be afraid to make use of these supportive services to guarantee a healthy future for you and your loved ones.
Get it checked out: Testicular cancer is one of those rare cancers that is also prevalent in young men, and the advice is simple: testicular cancer is highly curable so if anything seems out of place (quite literally), get it checked out.
Buckle up: One of the best things you can do for your health in your 20s ideally won’t involve your doctor at all. During a night out, use your seatbelt, take an Uber, sleep over. You may not know what a difference it can make until it’s too late.

In your 30s
Work, work and more work. Don’t forget to spend some time playing too. Meeting that deadline isn’t going to keep your heart and organs healthy.

Braveheart: Get your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar checked at least a few times in your 30s.
A place in the sun: Wear sunscreen and get your moles checked out annually. It’s really as simple as that.
Ask for help: Anything strange below the belt should still be checked out without delay. And if you and your partner are struggling to fall pregnant, why not ask your doctor about referring you to one of Mediclinic’s numerous fertility specialists?

In your 40s
This is where your 20s and 30s start catching up with you.

Not only in your head: As youthful dreams start fading, depression becomes more common in men that any of us would care to admit. Men sometimes think that asking for help is a sign of weakness: it’s not. Get help if your mood is constantly low.
Keep the pressure on: Have your blood pressure checked once a year. If the top number (systolic number) is between 120 and 139 or the bottom number (diastolic number) is between 80 and 89 mm Hg, then continue to have it checked every year otherwise schedule an appointment with your GP or cardiologist. Additionally, your cholesterol should be checked every 5 years unless otherwise indicated by your GP.
Sweet surrender: If you are 45 or older, you should be screened every 3 years for diabetes unless you are high risk (e.g obese).
The annual: Prostate cancer shows no symptoms until it’s too late, but if it’s caught early, it is highly treatable. If you have a family history of prostate cancer, you need to start having an annual rectal exam at the age of 40, otherwise this lifesaving screening test should be performed every year from the age of 45 by your GP, recommends Dr Werner Botha of Cape Urology Associates.

In your 50s, 60s and 70s
Reaping the rewards of a healthy life and ready for the second innings? Don’t forget about these basic and essential health checks:

All the health checks of your 30s and 40s, plus:
Don’t lag behind: If you are between the ages of 50 and 75, without a family history of the disease, you should be screened for colon (colorectal/bowel) cancer (one of the leading cancers for both men and women). Ask your GP which test is best including a stool sample, colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. Men with a family history of the disease should be screened earlier.
Easy on the eyes: Have an eye exam every 2 to 4 years between the ages of 40 to 54 and every 1 to 3 years between the ages of 55 to 64. Your provider may recommend more frequent eye exams if you have vision problems or are at high risk for glaucoma.
Strong bones and teeth: Ask your GP about getting screened for osteoporosis (this is usually done with a low-radiation X-ray that measures the density of the minerals in your bones). Your bone density isn’t what it was, and the risks sky-rocket as you get older. In addition, go to the dentist every year for an exam and cleaning. Your dentist will evaluate if you have a need for more frequent visits.

If you are a smoker, use alcohol regularly or have other risk factors, discuss these with your doctor who may recommend additional screening tests or earlier screening.

Source: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007465.htm

The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.