Don’t be one of the 80% of men who’d rather be ill than admit to a problem
IS THE cliche true – are men reluctant to talk to doctors about their health? Surveys paint a depressing picture: up to 80 per cent of men questioned by Bupa recently said they would rather endure an illness than seek help. In my own surgery, men under the age of 40 are an unusual sight. Although we do get more middle-aged blokes coming in, often to have a heart health check-up, I’d say two-thirds of my patients, generally, are women. There are many reasons for this.
Women are more used to seeing doctors, having often gone through the process of having a baby, with all the check-ups and visits that involves before, during and for years after. Regular screening for cervical cancer, from their mid-20s, and breast cancer in middle age, is another reason.
And, no doubt, some men feel pressure to ‘be a man’ and not talk about their problems. Nowhere is this more apparent than with ‘embarrassing’ ailments.
‘Physical stuff around genitals is something most guys will find difficult to talk about,’ says Jim Pollard from the Men’s Health Forum. ‘These things are tied up with notions of masculinity – and men don’t like sitting in a doctor’s surgery admitting they don’t know what’s wrong.’
The key thing to remember, as Dr Kaye has already pointed out on the previous pages about women’s health, is that we GPs have seen all of this before.
Men can, and do, come and see me all the time with these things – and, of course, if you’d rather speak to a male doctor, we understand that.
In the meantime, here is my guide for dealing with the male ailments you might be shy to talk about – but really needn’t be.
THE QUESTION MEN MOST ASK GOOGLE BUT NOT ME
IT IS, according to search-engine data, one of the most frequently asked questions relating to male sexual health: What are the spots on my penis?
Sexually transmitted infections are common, but also easily sorted. However, I often see a patient who’s worried himself unnecessarily – or worse, tried to self-treat – when the problem is entirely benign.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Small raised bumps along the shaft of the penis that are pale red, yellow-white or skin-coloured are usually what we call Fordyce spots or granules.
They can also appear on the scrotum, and the lips, but they are totally harmless oil-secreting glands in the skin, and there is no reason to do anything about them. There are loads of home-remedies for sale on the internet, but these at best do nothing and at worst damage the skin. Avoid them.
Small white spots around the head of the penis, known as pearly papules, are also totally harmless and about a third of men have them. It’s also not unusual to get small red pimples, known as septic spots, which just go away after a week.
Genital warts are common – about 57,000 men get them each year. The colour depends on your skin shade but the characteristic appearance is of a ‘wobbly’ projection – like a tiny strand of seaweed.
They are caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which is also linked with cervical, throat and anal cancers.
Genital warts are highly infectious and can be passed on through sex, but cases have been in decline thanks to the rollout of a vaccine against the virus offered to teenage girls (and, since September, also to boys).
Spots which are more like ulcers – but are usually painless – may be syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) which can also cause a rash on the hands and feet.
I know Dr Google may have diagnosed penile cancer, which is linked to the HPV virus, but this affects only 640 men a year in the UK.
WHAT CAN I DO?
If you want to save yourself the worry, just see a doctor and get a proper diagnosis.
Your GP, or a local sexual health clinic, will be able to test you for STIs and prescribe treatment – antibiotics for syphilis and a cream or minor surgery to burn, laser or freeze off genital warts. And if you are treated, and symptoms persist, make sure you go back to the doctor.
MYSTIFYING SCAR TISSUE CAUSING SEX PROBLEMS
BODIES come in a variety of shapes and sizes – and penises are no different.
Most men will worry at some point that their own isn’t ‘normal’, but it’s time to take note if there’s an obvious change – a more noticeable bend, for example, or even an hour-glass shape. This could be a sign of the usually harmless condition Peyronie’s disease. Normally only noticeable when erect, if any of these are accompanied by painful erections or erectile dysfunction then it should be checked out.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Experts are still a bit stumped, but the change of shape is the result of scar tissue, or plaques, developing within the shaft. In some cases it happens following an injury sustained during sexual activity.
It’s also relatively common, affecting up to one in ten men, and is most prevalent in those aged 50 and over. It might also run in families.
While not harmful, it can be emotionally distressing, particularly if it affects sexual relationships, which can take a huge toll on mental health.
WHAT CAN I DO?
It can improve all by itself. But take advice from a GP or sexual health clinic. There are some potential treatments, including injecting steroids or using ultrasound therapy, but there is only limited evidence this works. If the change in shape is severe and makes intercourse impossible, for instance, surgery to cut away the plaque or implant a device to straighten the penis is available as a very last resort. Consultant urologist Asif Muneer
Thrush is not just a girl thing – men can get it too, causing irritation of the penis and discharge