Male health campaigns, where are they?

[steveatesh]

DanL said:

ecause you can check for testicular cancer yourself, and prostate cancer is something that typically impacts the over 50’s and is checked by having a finger poked up where many are reluctant to have a finger, so take up would likely be low?

Not quite right, the first test is a PSA test taken from a sample of blood. Men over 50 apparently have the right to request one but many GPs are reluctant because the test may prove inaccurate with either false positives or false negatives.

When I went with the appropriate symptoms the dr declined the psa test and did do the finger test. He immediately decided that yes, I did need the psa test, but was of the decided opinion that I didn’t have cancer. As a result of a high PSA test reading I was referred for a biopsy (local anaesthetic through rectum) which came back negative for cancer.

The consultant wasn’t happy though because of the high psa test reading and later did a much more accurate matrix biopsy (general anaesthetic). That came back indicating a positive test for cancer, so now I’m under regular review and testing (currently it’s low grade, long may that continue!). On the plus side it was caught early because I didn’t hang about with the initial symptoms and I have a thorough consultant.

I discovered that the first type of biopsy is only accurate up to a point and in around 30% of cases it can miss a tumour.

The whole testing thing about prostate cancer isn’t very good, but I understand there have been some recent improvements made in the testing and treatment.

It can afffect men under 50.

My suggestion is that if you have any of the symptoms you should go to the docs and seek a psa test. It may save your life.

Edited by steveatesh on Friday 21st September 23:05

[Moonhawk]

steveatesh said:

The whole testing thing about prostate cancer isn’t very good, but I understand there have been some recent improvements made in the testing and treatment.

Perhaps if more research money were spent on it, faster progress would be made.

Prostate cancer kills in similar numbers to breast cancer, but is funded to a much lower level (research funding for breast cancer is almost 3 times higher).

I have put the image in spoiler tags because it's quite large and intrusive.

Edited by Moonhawk on Saturday 22 September 08:48

[Willy Nilly]

How can anyone get prostrate cancer?

[hidetheelephants]

Willy Nilly said:

How can anyone get prostrate cancer?

From lying down too much?

I'm here all week, try the fish, etc.

[Supercilious Sid]

Cold said:

There's your answer, OP. The consensus is that the reason why we don't have any male health campaigns is because you haven't started one. It's your fault.
That must be quite a helpful insight to your query.



Mind you, I quite liked the suggestion of stopping "winging" as winging can be quite a dangerous sport. (I wonder what the intended insult actually was? )

The simple answer is the wimmins lobby is very loud and vocal. Combine that with the over representation of women in the public sector health areas and any interest in male problems is merely perfunctory.

[sparkythecat]

DanL said:

sparkythecat said:

Women get automatically called in by health service providers every few years, for breast cancer screening mammograms and for cervical cancer screening smear tests.
There is however, no similar automatic call in for men to have either testicular or prostate cancer screening tests.
Why is this?

Because you can check for testicular cancer yourself.....

Only if you have an ultrasound machine and are suitably qualified and experienced to interpret the scan result, or are able to carry out your own tumour marker blood test.

[vonuber]

Supercilious Sid said:

The simple answer is the wimmins lobby is very loud and vocal. Combine that with the over representation of women in the public sector health areas and any interest in male problems is merely perfunctory.

You what?

[Randy Winkman]

vonuber said:

Supercilious Sid said:

The simple answer is the wimmins lobby is very loud and vocal. Combine that with the over representation of women in the public sector health areas and any interest in male problems is merely perfunctory.

You what?

And what are "wimmins"?

[Moonhawk]

vonuber said:

Supercilious Sid said:

The simple answer is the wimmins lobby is very loud and vocal. Combine that with the over representation of women in the public sector health areas and any interest in male problems is merely perfunctory.

You what?

Women outnumber men in the public sector by almost 3:1 according to figures published here:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/p...

Women occupy 77% of NHS roles according to figures published here:

https://digital.nhs.uk/news-and-events/latest-news...

[Randy Winkman]

Moonhawk said:

vonuber said:

Supercilious Sid said:

The simple answer is the wimmins lobby is very loud and vocal. Combine that with the over representation of women in the public sector health areas and any interest in male problems is merely perfunctory.

You what?

Women outnumber men in the public sector by almost 3:1 according to figures published here:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/p...

Women occupy 77% of NHS roles according to figures published here:

https://digital.nhs.uk/news-and-events/latest-news...

Though the vast majority of them don't decide what the money is spent on. The number of female senior civil servants is on the up but is still less than half.
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explaine...

[Moonhawk]

Randy Winkman said:

Though the vast majority of them don't decide what the money is spent on. The number of female senior civil servants is on the up but is still less than half.
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explaine...

Yeh - but most of the male ones are pussy whipped, SJW white knights - just like in the BBC....so...........

Edited by Moonhawk on Saturday 22 September 19:17

[spaximus]

One of the biggest issue in mens health is we do not talk about it. Listening to women at work they talk openly about all sorts of issues but if I discuss having a rectal examinations with men they shudder. Talking about depression is somehow seen as weak by those who are suffering, hence male suicides is so high.

One guy was telling me he gets up three times a night to pee, but wasn't going to see the Dr as he reckoned it was nothing and still hasn't been, might be nothing, might not.

For my part I request and have a PSA test every year and every year the Dr tries to put me off if I have no other symptoms, but like any other cancer getting an early warning is key. All men will get a larger prostrate as they age and there are now exciting treatments to deal with none cancerous growths that cause issues, the NHS has just approved a new one.

Women have got used to various internal prodding at Dr's by the time they are 20 or so, they just take it as normal but men having their tackle felt of arse prodded is so alien they would rather die.

Personally I check my balls weekly and did find a lump, which was just some sort of cyst that was not an issue, but it could have been. I will go and be prodded and poked as often as they need to which I find lacking in many men

[Cold]

Should you wish to look further than NP&E for help with medical issues, then PH has its own health part of the forum at this link.

Lots of people talking about all things medical, but I'm not sure how that meshes with the recent "men don't talk" posts.

[eharding]

spaximus said:

....and there are now exciting treatments to deal with none cancerous growths that cause issues, the NHS has just approved a new one.

Exciting how, exactly? - have they managed to combine proctology with bungee-jumping, white-white water rafting or penalty shoot-outs?

[Randy Winkman]

Moonhawk said:

Randy Winkman said:

Though the vast majority of them don't decide what the money is spent on. The number of female senior civil servants is on the up but is still less than half.
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explaine...

Yeh - but most of the male ones are pussy whipped, SJW white knights - just like in the BBC....so...........

Edited by Moonhawk on Saturday 22 September 19:17

But I bet they are not short of health advice like "real men" are.

[DanL]

sparkythecat said:

Only if you have an ultrasound machine and are suitably qualified and experienced to interpret the scan result, or are able to carry out your own tumour marker blood test.

Yeah, all of that is totally necessary. Or, you can check yourself for lumps and other oddities, and go to the doctor for a more thorough check if you find something that worries you.

[dandarez]

Lentilist said:

Regarding men and health, how many threads discussing health issues have you seen on PH?

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&...

[sparkythecat]

DanL said:

sparkythecat said:

Only if you have an ultrasound machine and are suitably qualified and experienced to interpret the scan result, or are able to carry out your own tumour marker blood test.

Yeah, all of that is totally necessary. Or, you can check yourself for lumps and other oddities, and go to the doctor for a more thorough check if you find something that worries you.

So in answer to the OPs question asking why there are no health campaigns for men, you're saying that there's no need, because men themselves are capable of diagnosing their own ailments?
This, despite the fact that thousands of men are dying from cancers that could perhaps have been treated, had they been diagnosed early enough.

[glazbagun]

chow pan toon said:

DanL said:

Testicular cancer is checked by feeling your testicular for lumps. You may recall a campaign a few years ago that encouraged men to have a rummage (or words to that effect) while they were in the shower. Robbie Williams was one of the “faces” of it, as I recall...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu2K4eIqxd4
How could anyone forget that campaign

And this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMIqPZW_jOA

:

[lord summerisle]

sparkythecat said:

Only if you have an ultrasound machine and are suitably qualified and experienced to interpret the scan result, or are able to carry out your own tumour marker blood test.

but the symptoms of a lump on the testicle can be felt by hand. and should prompt a visit to the docs, who will then refer to a consultant for further tests. an ultrasound, bloodtest and MRI can help tell if the lump is a cyst or something else.

In my case i found the lump while showering, had the above tests... and following the op & subsequent test on the removed testicle showed the lump was cancerous, but as my bloodtest were always clear i had found it early enough that it was removed before anything had spread around my body.

So the original assertion - finding a lump on the testicle is something at can be spotted fairly easily... where as prostrate cancer is harder to detect