Men’s Health Issues That Aren’t Easy to Talk About

Your body undergoes changes throughout your life — from childhood, puberty, adulthood, and into old age. For men, problems start to develop around your 40s and into your 60s, what’s often termed middle age. 

Depending on how well you take care of yourself, problems with cardiovascular, bladder, prostate, and colon health often start developing during this time, and left untreated many of these issues can be fatal.

There are also issues that affect your sexuality that men are often reticent to talk about because of how that part of you can define how you see yourself as well as a fear of what any sort of loss can mean to your life. 

If you live in the Chicago, Illinois, area, and you’re struggling with conditions that may be difficult to talk about, our dedicated specialists at Michigan Avenue Primary Care can help discreetly and with respect for your concerns.

Let’s examine what these issues are, the common factors that cause them, and the treatment options for each.

Sensitive medical issues for men

Here are some of the types of sensitive health issues that men have trouble coping with or sharing with others:

Erectile dysfunction (ED)

Also referred to as impotence, this is the term for the inability to maintain an erection long enough to engage in sex, and it’s estimated that over half of men ages 40-70 struggle with it. The actual numbers aren’t exact because of the shame and isolation that are often associated with sexual problems.

Low testosterone

This is the common term for hypogonadism and is a condition where your testicles don’t produce enough testosterone, which can affect men with diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, cirrhosis of the liver, and obesity.

Low libido

This is a lack of sex drive that can be caused by issues such as low testosterone but may result from other problems like chronic illness, restless leg syndrome, sleeping problems, aging, and stress.

Common factors with these conditions

While the chances of dealing with these issues increase with your age, the commonalities between them are chronic health problems like diabetes, hypertension, sleeping issues like obstructive sleep apnea, and obesity. A variety of factors lead to these issues and subsequent complications, including:

Dietary habits

What you eat plays a major role in your health, and diets high in processed foods, sugars, sodium, and saturated fats can lead to the health issues listed above. 

Lack of exercise

A sedentary lifestyle doesn’t give your body enough movement to boost your metabolism, improve your blood flow, or keep you at a healthy weight.

Stress

Anxiety from dealing with things that cause stress can take a toll on your mood and health, especially if combined with the other problems mentioned.

Other factors play more of a role in specific conditions, with medications having a hand in low testosterone and low libido, and structural problems playing more of a part in some ED issues.

Treatment options

There are a few components to managing sexual problems, medical issues, related mental health issues, and relationship fallout. 

Treatments like hormone therapy, medications, mechanical aids, some procedures, and lifestyle changes can help with the physical aspects of sexual dysfunction, but therapy can also be a major factor in restoring confidence and relieving the stress that can come with it.

A combination of psychological therapy, proper education on the issues you’re struggling with, and communication with your significant other and doctors are all healthy ways of coming to grips with your issues and working to improve your life.

The first steps in dealing with the different types of sexual dysfunction are to admit there’s a problem and to get help. When you’re ready for that help, make an appointment with our team at Michigan Avenue Primary Care. Call our office today or schedule your visit online anytime.