Man up and start sharing these symptoms with your doctor, guys.<\/p>\n
Between 2015 and 2022, men were more likely to be diagnosed with 16 different late-stage cancers than women, according to a new study<\/a> published last week\u00a0\u2014 with the biggest discrepancies for salivary gland cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, thyroid cancer and stomach cancer.<\/p>\n One of the reasons behind this worrying trend? <\/p>\n \u201cWomen go to the doctor more than men, which could mean more opportunities for clinicians to catch cancer symptoms earlier, thus leading more women to get diagnosed at the localized stage instead of regional or distant stages,\u201d said the study\u2019s lead author,\u00a0Beth Maclin, PhD, MPH, a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute.<\/p>\n While men are less likely to go to the doctor, some symptoms should be shared to diagnose and treat illnesses earlier. Framestock \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n This trend doesn\u2019t just impact cancer odds: Men generally die younger<\/a>, only living to age 76 compared to women\u2019s 81.<\/p>\n Time and again, medical experts have urged men to be more proactive about their health care with regular checkups and screenings.<\/p>\n \u201cMen have biological vulnerabilities,\u201d\u00a0Dr. David Shusterman<\/a>, board-certified urologist and founder of UroLongevity and Modern Urologist, previously told The Post<\/a>. \u201cBut the bigger problem is that men tend to practice reactive medicine. They wait until something is obviously wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Still not sure which symptoms are worth flagging? Dr. Michael Herman<\/a>, Director of Urology at Mount Sinai South Nassau, shared the four red flags he wishes patients would mention sooner.<\/p>\n 1. Enlarged testicles<\/p>\n Even if they don\u2019t hurt, bigger balls or a swollen scrotum are cause for concern.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all know that patients often go online to search their symptoms and what they mean,\u201d Herman told The Post. \u201cHowever, it\u2019s typically difficult for patients to know what they\u2019re examining, or whether the swelling is coming from fluid inside the scrotum, or from the testicle itself.\u201d<\/p>\n Though it\u2019s most often due to benign causes like fluid buildup, unusual growth could also indicate testicular cancer \u2014 which isn\u2019t necessarily painful. ANd putting off getting things checked out can have serious consequences.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not uncommon for there to be a delay in diagnosis for testicular cancer of at least 30 days, and the longer the delay, the worse the prognosis,\u201d Herman explained.<\/p>\n Men should let their doctors know if they have enlarged, but painless testicles as it could be a sign of testicular cancer. PRIME STOCK LAB \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n 2. Erectile dysfunction<\/p>\n While erectile dysfunction is an incredibly common issue, Herman says that it could be bad news for more than just yoru sex life.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat many men don\u2019t realize is that ED can often be the first sign of vascular disease, especially ED that\u2019s not related to psychological factors such as stress, anxiety or relationship issues,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cTo get a good erection, there needs to be strong blood flow into the penis, so if there isn\u2019t, that could be a sign that the blood vessels aren\u2019t working well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n There have also been several studies showing that erection issues can precede cardiac symptoms by several years.<\/p>\n Getting everything checked out as soon as an issue comes up (or doesn\u2019t) can give men ample time to change lifestyle habits to improve their cardiovascular health.<\/p>\n 3. Urinary frequency<\/p>\n An unexpected early sign of diabetes? Frequent urination<\/a> or trouble peeing.<\/p>\n And getting your urine checked could determine whether you\u2019re dealing with diabetes, according to Herman.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce a patient\u2019s blood sugar is about 180 or so, the kidneys are no longer able to handle the extra sugar, and it spills into the urine,\u201d he said. \u201cWater is pulled along with the sugar molecules through osmosis into the urine, leading to very high urine outputs.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Michael Herman, Director of Urology at Mount Sinai South Nassau, shared the four red flags he wishes patients would mention sooner. Mount Sinai South Nassau<\/p>\n 4. Depression, fatigue and decreased sex drive<\/p>\n These common issues can be related to work or personal problems, medication side effects, or mental health issues.<\/p>\n But they could also be signs of low testosterone, a condition that affects nearly 39% of men aged 45 years and older, according to the University of Washington\u2019s School of Public Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause these symptoms have many potential causes, a thorough evaluation is important to identify the underlying issue and guide appropriate treatment,\u201d Herman said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen seeking treatment, it is important to evaluate all the possible causes, including low testosterone.\u201d<\/p>\n Testosterone levels should be checked first thing in the morning for an accurate result, as testosterone peaks in the morning, with normal levels<\/a> landing anywhere between 300 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter.<\/p>\n However, testosterone does naturally decline as men age by about 1% each year after 30.<\/p>\n