Advice for men: Don't wait to see a doctor

I was going to label this "In the News" but honestly? It's common sense.

I was reading the article Advice for men: Don't wait to see a doctor and according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, "men are 25 percent less likely than women to visit a doctor."

According to the article, "A lot of times, it's very difficult for them to be convinced that they need to see a physician for a problem," said Dr. Allen Dollar, a cardiologist with Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta. "To a large extent, there is a lot of denial going on, and in some cases, that denial can be deadly."

I don't know what exactly it IS with men, but I think it has something to do with them feeling like it's kind of "wimpy" to go to the doctor because it's like admitting that you have some sort of weakness.

More from the article: That closer look by a doctor shouldn't be just every now and then when a patient feels bad.

Dr. David Dodson, an expert on men's health at the Marino Center in Wellesley, Massachusetts, recommends that healthy men under 50 get a regular checkup every 18 months. After 50, he suggests, men should see their doctors annually.

"Men should take their health seriously," said Dodson, who is also the chairman of the Men's Health Committee for the Massachusetts Medical Society. "It's not just for their own sake. It's because men are part of families, and families depend on them."

Health problems don't just affect older men, he said. Certain cancers, such as those of the testes and skin, are more common in young men.

Younger men are also at higher risk than older men for sexually transmitted diseases, Dodson noted. And some men should talk to their doctor about being tested for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia and HIV, the health care research agency suggests.

Lucky for me, my husband is required to get a physical every year since he is a pilot and that necessitates a first class medical certificate to ensure that he is in good health. Even so, it is a chore to get him to go when something is wrong and needs medication. I guess it's a "man" thing.