Give the guys a reminder: It’s time for an annual wellness check!

Overview: Many men ignore and delay their wellness checks and health screenings, which leads to more serious health issues in the long term. If this sounds like the man in your life, encourage him to make an appointment with his primary care provider.

Women, does the man in your life check in regularly with his primary care physician? If not, give him a loving nudge and remind him it’s time to make an appointment for his annual wellness check.

If he tells you he’s not sick, feels great or is too busy, then try, try, try again! Encourage him to invest in his health with regular health screenings so he can learn if he’s at risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. 

Take a health risk assessment

And if that doesn’t work?  Prod, prod again!  Let him know making simple lifestyle changes now can help prevent chronic disease in the future. Research consistently shows men could do a much better job at taking charge of their health, and a woman’s encouragement can prompt men to seek care.

According to USA.gov:

• More than 60% of adult American men are overweight or obese.
• Nearly 31% of men over age 18 reported drinking five or more alcoholic drinks in one day at least once in the past year.
• Only 28% of men ages 18 and older met the 2018 federal physical activity guidelines.

Why annual wellness visits are important

So, enough of the tough man bravado. “It’s super important to have your home base for both preventive and acute illnesses,” said David Ensz, MD, at MercyOne South Sioux City Family Medicine. “When I’ve seen you several times, I don’t need to look back at your chart because I know you. I know you, your health needs, your kids, your grandkids, etc. I know the whole of your well-being.”

Stay on track and schedule an annual wellness visit with a primary care provider who will:

• Review your overall physical, social and emotional health
• Ensure you’re up to date with all vaccinations
• Check your blood pressure
• Review your prescriptions
• Address any concerns you have with your health
• Perform routine screenings and make referrals if needed

Screenings on track

Delaying health screenings can have a serious impact on your health. For those at normal risk, these screenings include:

• Colonoscopy starting at age 45
• Prostrate screening starting at age 50
• Diabetes screening

Some of these screenings may be warranted earlier in life if there are certain risk factors like family history.

Behavioral health needs

Nearly 1 in 10 men experience depression or anxiety, and often the stigma surrounding behavioral health can prevent men from seeking help. Poor behavioral health can lead to poor lifestyle choices that result in chronic health issues.  Behavioral health can affect your brain, causing:

• Poor concentration
• Low energy
• Difficulty making decisions and solving problems
• Mood changes
• Lack of enjoyment
• Anxiety

Don’t ignore these symptoms and share them with a primary care provider.  Just as a provider may prescribe medication for high blood pressure, they may prescribe medication for behavioral health or make a referral to a specialist.

Drinking too much

We already know alcohol has short-term effects on decision-making, balance, vision and more. The long-term effects of excessive drinking include: 

• Liver disease
• Heart disease
• Pancreatitis
• Dementia
• Alzheimer's disease
• Cancer

Alcohol also plays heavily into men’s mental and behavioral health. “Alcohol is used as a bandage to feel better when really it can make things worse,” Dr. Ensz said. 

Sexual health

Erectile dysfunction (ED) can be the body’s way of alerting men that something is wrong. “The arteries that go to the penis are the same size as the arteries that wrap around the heart,” Dr. Ensz said. “If there is plaque that is preventing blood flow causing erectile dysfunction there’s a pretty good chance you have plaque around your heart too.” 

A few other common causes that may cause ED include: 

• Diabetes
• Excessive alcohol use
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Low testosterone
• Obesity
• Sleep disorders

“Erectile dysfunction is one condition that hits home with men,” Dr. Ensz said. “It can really open the door to look into their health further and find other issues.”

Why wait?

Men are more likely to die from chronic and severe diseases like heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Seeing a primary care provider, getting screenings and talking about health concerns can help avoid health problems down the road.

Check in with your primary care provider.