{"id":10615,"date":"2021-06-11T18:34:55","date_gmt":"2021-06-11T18:34:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prd-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=10615"},"modified":"2024-03-19T21:14:30","modified_gmt":"2024-03-19T21:14:30","slug":"3-health-mistakes-men-make-and-what-to-do-about-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/3-health-mistakes-men-make-and-what-to-do-about-them\/","title":{"rendered":"3 health mistakes men make, and what to do about them","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
As Men\u2019s Health Month comes to a close, we wanted to know what common health issues men face and what our providers recommend. Here\u2019s what we learned.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

What are the top three mistakes men make when it comes to their health?<\/h2>\n

1. Wanting quick fixes for complex problems.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hilton Chen<\/a>, MD, sees many male patients who want fast, easy solutions for complicated problems. An example: asking for Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction.<\/p>\n

\u201cViagra can help but it doesn\u2019t really fix the underlying problem, which is often caused by choices made over many years,\u201d says Dr. Chen, who is a primary care physician at the\u00a0MultiCare Kent Family Medicine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a complex condition and it\u2019s the common pathway of a lifetime of poor health habits: lack of exercise, high blood pressure, diabetes, poor diet,\u201d he says. \u201cI don\u2019t have a problem prescribing it, but I\u2019d like to see men take better care of their bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another common request Dr. Chen gets from male patients: prescription testosterone to treat tiredness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s hype about testosterone giving you lean muscle mass and energy,\u201d Dr. Chen says. \u201cBut the only medical reason to prescribe it is if your body isn\u2019t producing enough testosterone.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re concerned, you can have your testosterone levels tested. But keep in mind there are a lot of unknowns about the long-term safety of testosterone replacement therapy.<\/p>\n

Plus, tiredness isn\u2019t necessarily the result of low testosterone levels. It could be caused by a multitude of things, so it\u2019s best to discuss options with your doctor instead of pursuing a prescription you may not need.<\/p>\n

\u201cFatigue is a complex issue with physical and emotional components,\u201d Dr. Chen says.<\/p>\n

2. Ignoring troublesome symptoms.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jesse Mierzwiak<\/a>, MD, says he often sees men ignore symptoms that are bothering them, dismissing them as normal and inevitable.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey assume the problems they\u2019re having are part of the aging process,\u201d says Dr. Mierzwiak, who is a urologist at MultiCare Urology of Tacoma.<\/p>\n

These assumptions lead men to not seek help for years \u2014 and often the underlying problem is severe. Having a primary care doctor and going in for regular checkups is one way to prevent this from happening.<\/p>\n

\u201cA primary care provider can detect and treat a problem before it escalates,\u201d Dr. Mierzwiak says.<\/p>\n

3. Screening for prostate cancer without considering potential downfalls.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many men coming in for their annual physical have made up their mind about being screened for prostate cancer \u2014 regardless of the potential downfalls, Dr. Chen says.<\/p>\n

The screening test doesn\u2019t differentiate between low-grade (slow-growing and less likely to spread) and high-grade (fast-growing and more likely to spread) forms of prostate cancer, so the decision should be undertaken in conjunction with your doctor, who can help you decide if it makes sense for you.<\/p>\n

\u201cFalse positives can lead to unnecessary worry and additional, invasive testing,\u201d Dr. Chen says. \u201cSometimes one thing leads to another and you end up getting treatment for cancer that may never have been a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

What can men do to stay healthy or improve their health?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s a common refrain you\u2019ve likely heard before: eat healthy, exercise and maintain a healthy body weight. But it really does work.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf everybody did that, I would be out of a job,\u201d quips Dr. Chen. \u201cThey\u2019re not quick fixes. They\u2019re challenging. But the right path is not always the easy path.\u201d<\/p>\n

Exercise:<\/strong>\u00a0Even small amounts of exercise throughout the day is beneficial, Dr. Chen says. Go for a walk during your lunch hour. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever gets the heart pumping,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Eat healthy:<\/strong>\u00a0Choose fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains and fish instead of red meat. Keep portions under control. A diet low in fat and high in fiber is ideal.<\/p>\n

Maintain a healthy weight:<\/strong>\u00a0Exercise and eat healthy and you\u2019ll have this one covered.<\/p>\n

If you eat right but don\u2019t exercise, you may still have trouble. Exercise builds muscle mass, which makes your body burn calories more efficiently. It also releases hormones that help your body feel full.<\/p>\n

\u201cExercise puts a ceiling on your appetite,\u201d Dr. Chen says.<\/p>\n

What else can men do?<\/h2>\n

Establish a primary care provider if you don\u2019t already have one.\u00a0Find a doctor.<\/a><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re short on time and have troublesome symptoms, get quick care with a video or e-visit through\u00a0MultiCare Indigo Online Care<\/a>\u00a0or at one of our many convenient\u00a0Urgent Care locations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published June 1, 2016, and updated on June 11, 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As Men\u2019s Health Month comes to a close, we wanted to know what common health issues men face and what our providers recommend. Here\u2019s what we learned. What are the top three mistakes men make when it comes to their health? 1. Wanting quick fixes for complex problems. Hilton Chen, MD, sees many male patients […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":327,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[71],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mens-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n3 health mistakes men make, and what to do about them - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As Men\u2019s Health Month comes to a close, we wanted to know what common health issues men face and what our providers recommend.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/3-health-mistakes-men-make-and-what-to-do-about-them\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"3 health mistakes men make, and what to do about them - 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