Movember Madness - Cancers Prevalent in Men and How to Fight With Them
Movember is here! The month of mustaches and crazy facial hair. Those lumberjacks and hippies rejoice in this month when men across the globe grow facial hair, not to look cool (but they do, they definitely do) but they want to raise awareness of men’s health issues and problems. It is actually sad, but there are not many men who are actually aware of diseases that are making a serious dent in the male population of the world. While the media and social workers are paying attention to the female population (let’s be honest, we outnumber men in many ways), men are somewhat ignored in this regard. Perhaps it has more to with the “macho man” and “real men are tough” mentality, but this mindset has increased the male mortality rate.
So, in order to pay homage to the Movember and the cause behind it, I have gathered information about what are the prevailing cancers in men and how they can be fought. I will post similar articles and blogs throughout this month and shed light on some of the most prevalent men’s health issues and diseases.
About Cancer
What are the leading Cancers in the male population? They are:
- Prostate Cancer
- Lungs Cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Liver cancer
Among all of them, Prostate and Lung cancer the most dangerous and most common. The sad thing is that most men are ignoring the first outbursts of cancer symptoms, because they do not have the time or the money to see a doctor. The best way to kill the disease before it kills you is by catching it earliest as possible. But how do you know if your symptoms are cancer symptoms? Of course, you need to keep your eye on the usual cancer symptoms like drowsiness, fatigue, unusual weight loss and a cough that won’t go away. However, there are other symptoms that must be reported to your doctor on the first sighting. These are strictly related to Male Cancers, so don’t be shy or lazy.
Symptoms of Cancer That Must Be Reported!
Here are some symptoms that must be taken seriously and reported to your doctor immediately.
Pee Problems
This is first of many signs that links to prostate cancer. Many men have issues with their peeing habits when they grow older. However, even young men can develop that. If you get up to pee at night, if you pee more than usual (for a long time), have the constant, urgent need to pee, leaking and dripping issues or you have trouble in getting the waterworks started, you need to inform your doctor.
The Size Changes
Any changes in the size of your testicles must be reported. If you feel an unusual heaviness and lumps, you need to get a medical exam. Testicular cancer is much more progressive and more aggressive than prostate cancer. It can spread and become untreatable in a matter of months.
Sudden Blood Discharge
If you have a blood tinged discharge or bloody stool or bloody urine, you need to take action right away. Colon, kidney and bladder cancers can be diagnosed this way.
Breast Changes
Yes, men have breasts too. You have pectorals, don’t you? Most of the time, men ignore this fact and believe that they are immune to breast cancer. However, if you have raised nodes in your armpit areas and around your nipple, do not ignore it. You need to be checked immediately because many men get beyond the treatment stage because their breast cancer is diagnosed too late.
Prevention
The whole point of Movember is to spread awareness. However, many countries are not even aware of Movember and major men’s diseases. The only way to spread this awareness is by reaching out to the far off countries that do not have the right resources. This can be done in a very simple manner. If you are a medical personnel or you have access to a hospital, simply ask them to create men’s health brochures and leaflets, have them translated into different languages and spread them around. Countries like USA and UK have a dense population of people who are immigrants and many of them do not speak or understand the English language. So having a translated version of these pamphlets will be helpful.
Also, this could also help the refugees pouring into Greece and major European countries. With so many people coming through the sea, they are bound to attract viruses and bacteria that turn into some major health issues. There are many translation services that have translators who specialize in medical translation. They will be able to convey your message clearly and accurately in their own language.
Take one step forward, help each other out and see the difference your little effort can make!
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