Let’s be honest: most men would rather tough it out than make a doctor’s appointment. Whether it’s a busy schedule, a stubborn streak, or just not knowing where to start, too many men in our community are putting their health on the back burner and paying the price for it later. At Lakes Regional Healthcare, we see it all the time.
“Men tend to show up when something is already wrong,” says Dr. Averill Fuhs, DO, a family medicine physician at Lakes Regional Family Medicine in Spirit Lake, Iowa. “But the whole point of a relationship with your doctor is to catch things before they become a crisis. That’s where we can make the biggest difference.”
Men in the United States die, on average, five years earlier than women. They’re less likely to have a regular doctor, less likely to go to preventive appointments, and less likely to talk openly about symptoms that worry them. The good news? Most of the conditions driving those statistics are preventable or highly treatable when caught early.
Here are the health concerns that matter most for men and what you can do about them.
- Heart Disease: The #1 Threat
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among men in the United States. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, excess weight, smoking, and physical inactivity all contribute, often silently, over years.
“Heart disease does not announce itself until it has already done permanent damage,” Dr. Fuhs notes. “A lot of the men I see in clinic only get the blood pressure checked once a year in the clinic, which is great to do, as long as they come and get it checked. Walking through the door can be a barrier for a lot of men. It’s time away from work and family and none of us ever feel like we have that time to spare. However, since cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death and disability in the United States, this annual check is vitally important. It seems to me that a lot of people have forgotten that high blood pressure used to be called the silent killer. More often than not there are no symptoms of high blood pressure that any individual would experience in the early stages.”
What to do: Starting at age 18, get your blood pressure checked at least every two years. Cholesterol screening should begin by age 35 (or as early as 20 if you have risk factors). Talk to your doctor about your heart health history and family background.
- Cancer: Early Detection Saves Lives
The three most common cancers in men are prostate, lung, and colorectal and are all significantly more survivable when caught early. Skin cancer is also a major risk, especially for men who work or play outdoors.
“Skin checks are something men tend to skip,” Dr. Fuhs adds. “But skin cancer is one of the most common and most preventable cancers we see. If you’re spending summers on the lakes in Okoboji, working on the water, out on a boat, or fishing, sun exposure adds up over a lifetime.”
Prostate cancer screening should start with blood testing via a test called the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen). Depending on your age, family history, risk factors, screening could start as soon as the age of 40. This test should be done, in general, once a year.
Colorectal cancer screening typically begins at age 45. A colonoscopy might not be anyone’s favorite appointment, but it can find and remove precancerous polyps before they ever become cancer.
Lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT scan is recommended annually for adults ages 50 to 80 who have a significant smoking history.
- Mental Health: The Conversation Men Aren’t Having
Men die by suicide at nearly four times the rate of women. Depression and anxiety are widespread, but men are far less likely to seek help, often because of stigma, or simply not recognizing the symptoms in themselves. This needs to stop because mental health isn’t weakness. It’s another part of our body’s health.
“I want the men in my practice to know that our conversations stay in that room, and nothing is off the table,” says Dr. Fuhs. “If you’re not sleeping, if you’re feeling disconnected, if the things you used to enjoy just don’t anymore, that’s worth talking about. You don’t have to be in crisis to ask for help.”
What to do: Your annual wellness visit includes depression screening. Don’t skip it, and don’t brush off the questions. If something’s not right, say so.
- Diabetes: The Silent Progression
Type 2 diabetes affects millions of American men, and many don’t know they have it until complications such as nerve damage, kidney disease, and vision problems have already begun. Men are also more likely to develop diabetes at a lower body weight than women, which means the usual warning signs may not apply.
What to do: Blood sugar screening (fasting glucose or A1C) should begin at age 35 for overweight adults, or earlier if you have risk factors like a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, or a sedentary lifestyle.
- Other Key Concerns to Know About
- Respiratory disease. If you’ve smoked or worked in dusty or chemical environments, lung function testing and regular check-ins are important. COPD is manageable if it’s caught.
- Liver disease. Men drink alcohol at higher rates than women, and the liver keeps the tab. If alcohol is a regular part of your life, talk honestly with your doctor about what that means for your health.
- Sleep apnea. Loud snoring, waking up tired, or dozing off during the day are all signs worth investigating. Untreated sleep apnea is a significant contributor to heart disease and diabetes.
- Kidney disease. Often a downstream effect of high blood pressure and diabetes, kidney disease progresses quietly. Routine lab work through your annual visit can catch it early.
Here’s a simple starting framework for health screens. Your doctor will personalize it based on your history:
- Blood pressure: Every 1–2 years starting at 18
- Cholesterol: Full lipid panel annually starting at 35 (or 20 with risk factors)
- Blood sugar/diabetes: Fasting glucose/A1C test each year starting at 35 if overweight
- Colorectal cancer: Colonoscopy starting at 45, then every 5-10 years, or earlier based on your family history and risk factors
- Prostate cancer discussion: Screen starting as early as age 40 or earlier based on your family history and risk factors
- Lung cancer screening: Low-dose CT scan for ages 50–80 with significant smoking history
- Skin exam: Annually, or anytime you notice a changing mole or spot
- Mental health screening: At every annual visit
- Dental and vision: Each at least once a year
- Tetanus booster: Every 10 years
- Flu vaccine: Every year
- Pneumonia vaccines: As early as age 50 or earlier based on your medical history
- Shingles vaccine: As early as age 50 or earlier based on your medical history
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. You just need to make one appointment.
“Come in and let’s just talk,” Dr. Fuhs says. “We’ll figure out where you are, what you need, and make a plan together. That’s all it takes to get started. The hardest part is usually just walking through the door.”
You can make an appointment with Dr. Fuhs or other providers at Lakes Regional Family Medicine by calling 712-336-3750.
