Standard Health Tests

Testing Your Blood Pressure

You should have your Blood Pressure checked at least every 2 years. You need to see your physician for this.  The blood pressure machines at the corner drug store may need calibration and are not accurate - they even have warning labels that tell you that you cannot rely on the read out.

High blood pressure usually does not have any symptoms.  No you do not get a headache because your pressure is high.  You won't even know that you have a high blood pressure problem until it is too late and a stroke cuts you off at the knees. You may not be afraid of death - how do you feel about being disabled in a wheel chair for the rest of your life.

Low blood pressure on the other hand is fairly obvious - dizzy, weak, lack of energy and low blood pressure can kill you very quickly.

Colorectal Cancer Tests

Regular Colorectal Cancer testing should begin at 50.  There is more than one kind of test available, so don't chicken out.  Just get it done.

Diabetes Screening

If you have high blood pressure and or high cholesterol, your physician is going to insist on a screening test for Diabetes.  If you are overweight, your physician is probably going to run this screen at the same time as the cholesterol screening.

Prostate Cancer Screening

Talk to your doctor about the possible benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening if you are considering having a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test or digital rectal examination (DRE).

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

You need to be up front with your physician on this subject.  He needs to know if there is any possibility that a sexually transmitted disease might exist.  You also need to consider an HIV problem if you have ever had a blood transfusion. Hiding your head in the sands of denial will not change the reality of the situation.

Depression

This is probably the most controversial subject after Sexually transmitted diseases.  Most men were brought up to "bite the bullet" and keep quiet about any problems they are having. Generations of women have complained that their men just don't share.

There is a social stigma attached to depression - weakness.

Everyone goes through periods of depression and for most people those periods usually only last for a few days and it is easy to say the reason why you are depressed. There are certain acceptable reasons for depression - losing a job, losing a mate, illness in the family, long hours at work or weather just to name a few.

However, if you've felt sad, or hopeless, or have little interest or pleasure in doing things for 2 weeks straight, talk to your doctor. Depression screenings are really simple and you just might find that with just a little help you can get back to your old happy self.

Do not allow your physician to just put you on anti-depressants.  You need to see a specialist to discuss your mind set.  Just taking pills without doing something to change the situation will only make it worse in the long run.

Remember guys, Real Men Take Care of Themselves. Real Men Ask for Help and Directions when necessary.  Real Men take steps to insure they will be around to bounce their great-grandchildren on their knee.