Changing the Mindset of Men Who Will Not Visit Their Doctor
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Changing the Mindset of Men Who Will Not Visit Their Doctor
I invite you to learn more about how you can maintain a healthy and active lifestyle as you get older. Claim your free report, Challenging Your Brain, how to keep your brain in shape at http://www.secretstohealthandaging.com/welcome Be productive regardless of age.
Ninety percent of the health decisions are made by women. If you think about yourself and your own family it is usually the mother or wife who goes to her doctor for regular maintenance office visits. Often times a man will visit his doctor because his wife made the appointment.
In general, men are much less likely than women to seek medical care. In fact compared with women most physicians would agree that:
·Men have more trouble talking about health concerns particularly concerns about sexuality, hormones, incontinence;
·Men are less likely to seek medical attention for a health complaint;
·Men are more willing to delay treatment for a health condition until that problem becomes worse;
·Men are less likely to stay with their treatment plan.
Unless there is a very strong relationship between the doctor and the male patient, men are less comfortable with doctors and exams in general. To make matters worse they often retain youthful attitudes that takes them more to risky behavior than women. For instance, if a man and a women are considered to be fast drivers, it is usually the man who dries even faster. You can tell from the papers and the broadcasts it is likely men who will die from accidents, violence or even dangerous jobs such as the TV program about the loggers or the truck drivers who drive on ice. It is not surprising, then, that the life expectancy for a man is less than for a woman.
Here are steps you can take to make your move toward a more healthy lifestyle.
First, make an appointment for a physical checkup especially if it has been more than two years since you last visited your physician. This is the first step because your doctor needs a thorough medical history and a look at your health habits. It is likely you will also require a range of screening tests and procedures. For instance, if you are over 50 you likely will be asked to schedule a colonoscopy to examine your colon and part of your small bowel if you have not had the exam in 5 to 7 years. This is one of the most successful ways to detect early colon cancer.
Your next responsibility is to learn more about your body and how it works. You want to find out why your stomach becomes distended after you eat. Are you eating the wrong foods or is that a symptom of a condition that runs in your family? Tell your physician about the blood you sometimes find in your stool. You think it comes from your hemorrhoids but let that be a medical diagnosis from your doctor, not your guess. In other words, if you notice a possible warning sign, do not shrug it off.
Do not be shy with your doctor. He has probably already heard everything you could possibly tell him. Your problems with urinary or sexual functions are common and there is a good chance you can be helped. Why should you be running to the bathroom every two hours?
Make a list of what you think you can do to improve your health. Make another list of health concerns you have that you would like to see improved. Take both lists to your doctor and start talking. If during all this effort, your physician or his very capable physician assistant, does not find the time to talk to you about your concerns, start exploring for another physician.
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