Fighting
the ‘Superman’ Syndrome: Getting men
to go to the doctor
Men, particularly many young men,
believe they’re invincible. Driving fast cars, doing wacky stunts,
living on junk food, smoking—if there’s an element of risk involved,
they’ll do it. Nothing bad is ever going to happen to them. So why
on earth would they ever set foot in a doctor’s office?
Unfortunately, that attitude is
the biggest risk of all. Because men who ignore their health, risk
losing everything. Why is getting a man to see a doctor such a
problem? “I think it’s because most men between 20 and 50 feel fine,
and they think if they feel fine then they must be healthy,” says
Jyothi Mamidi Juarez, M.D., an internal medicine physician on the
medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Garland. “The other issue
is that while women get into the health care loop when they start
seeing a gynecologist in their teens or early 20s, men don’t have
anything to force them into the medical setting at a young age.”
Even Dr. Juarez has to prompt her
own husband to get screenings regularly—and he’s a physician!
Here are some of men’s most
popular excuses for skipping the doctor, and why they just won’t fly
anymore.
But I Feel
Fine:
Some of the most common health problems exhibit no symptoms until
they become severe. You don’t feel high blood pressure, high
cholesterol or high blood sugar, but left unchecked, they will lead
to unpleasant consequences: diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart
attack and stroke. The only way to detect a problem is through a
routine screening, and for that…you have to go to the doctor.
“When I see young, healthy male
patients, I go over their risks for heart disease and other problems
that may affect them in the future,” Dr. Juarez says. “The risk of
heart disease for men increases dramatically in their 40s and 50s.”
I Think I’m
Pretty Healthy:
If you’re missing regular checkups with a physician, you’re also
missing an opportunity to address lifestyle issues such as weight,
diet and exercise, smoking, stress and mental health, alcohol and
drug use, and sleep disorders. These all take a toll on health and
contribute to a poor quality of life. Some men may hate that they’re
stressed out, they don’t eat right and they can’t quit smoking. But
still, they don’t see a doctor about it.
“They’re afraid we’re just going
to yell at them,” Dr. Juarez says. Not true. Working as a team, the
physician and patient can come up with a plan to tackle these issues
together.
Dad Never Went to
the Doctor, Why Should I?
Right, and Dad had a heart attack
at 53.
For more information about Baylor
Medical Center at Garland, call 1-800-4BAYLOR or visit
http://www.BaylorHealth.com
Fighting
the ‘Superman’ Syndrome: Getting men
to go to the doctor