Attention ladies! You play an important part in keeping your husband, boyfriend, brother, son or friend healthy. Here are a few things you should keep in mind regarding your male loved one's urologic health.
Erectile dysfunction is often a sign of something more serious.
About 70 percent of erectile dysfunction (ED) cases are caused by existing medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol or heart disease. The more advanced these diseases are, the more at risk a man is for ED. In most cases, ED is treatable. If your loved one has ED, encourage him to seek medical care.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men.
About 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This number jumps to 1 in 5 if he's African-American and 1 in 3 if he has a family history of prostate cancer. Men should know their risk and talk to their doctors about whether prostate cancer screening is right for them.
Male infertility is more common than you think.
In about 40 percent of infertile couples, the male partner is either the sole cause or a contributing cause of infertility. If he has blood in his urine, pay attention. This can be a sign of a urinary tract infection, kidney stone, enlarged prostate or an early sign of bladder or kidney cancer. All men who have blood in the urine should see their doctor.
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men ages 15 to 35.
Although there is nothing to prevent testicular cancer, if the cancer is caught early, there is a high cure rate. Signs of testicular cancer include persistent pain or a bump in the testicular area.
Finally, if they are going to the bathroom more than three times each night, they should be seen by a doctor. This could be a sign of a prostate or bladder problem, or potentially something more serious.
For more information about men's urologic health, visit: UrologyHealth.org.