By Barbara Pierce
There are certain topics that most people don’t like to talk about.
The matter is very private. They just want to deal with it themselves.
Often, they feel uncomfortable even discussing it with their partners. When it comes to men and their health, the stakes can be high because these issues can seriously affect your quality of life.
We found Dr. Isaiah Hammonds, a board-certified internal medicine specialist at Waterville Family Health Center in Waterville, very comfortable discussing sensitive health conditions commonly diagnosed in men.
One of Community Memorial Hospital’s primary care sites, the family health center partners with the wheel and spoke hospital, feeding patients to the hospital for ancillary services (lab, radiology, outpatient rehabilitation) and connecting them for specialty care.
1. Low testosterone
Testosterone, the male hormone, is important for male sexual function. Some men have low testosterone levels. Their body does not have enough of this essential substance.
“If you have low testosterone, your energy levels drop so low,” Hammonds said. “It will affect more areas of your life. you will notice bigger changes. Your mood changes, you may be more depressed than usual, you may not sleep well, your exercise tolerance changes.”
Other things that indicate low testosterone are reduced muscle mass, irritability, low sex drive and erectile dysfunction.
“The first thing we do is lab work, to see where your baseline is,” he added. “And we do a physical exam. We review your medications, as some side effects of medications can mimic low testosterone. The treatments we use are effective. We treat low testosterone with injections or a patch. We may also refer you to see a urologist.”
“People often try to treat their symptoms with a natural supplement,” he continued. “That’s fine, but it’s important to let your doctor know what you’ve been taking so we don’t repeat it. Some natural supplements may benefit you, some may not. most are really not harmful. Better to talk to your doctor about your symptoms.”
2. Erectile dysfunction
ED is created by either mental or blood flow reasons, Hammonds said. As our brain plays a key role in triggering the chain of events that lead to an erection, many things can affect this process, such as depression, anxiety, stress or relationship problems. This is the cause of about 10%-20% of EDs.
There are many health issues that can reduce blood flow to the penis, including hardened arteries, heart disease, diabetes and smoking. Although ED becomes more common as men age, aging does not always cause ED.
Prescription drugs for ED (Viagra and Cialis) work by increasing blood flow. they do help a lot of people by giving them a higher quality of life, Hammonds said.
People with DM often seek natural remedies, she continued. This is not a problem, but let your doctor know what you are using.
3. Prostate issues
Your prostate is a small gland that continues to grow as you get older. If it gets too big, it can put pressure on your bladder and cause problems with urination. And this can contribute to ED.
Hammonds described common symptoms: feeling full after urinating, leakage or strangulation, frequent urination, weak urine stream or pain.
“These days, we do PSAs [prostate specific antigen] check to determine if you have problems. we no longer do digital exams,” Hammonds said. “A lot of people avoided going to the doctor because of this digital test. Now if we suspect a problem, we do a screening, which is a blood test. Changes in the prostate can be treated with medication. Surgery is a last resort. Ten to 15 years ago, we hadn’t made any progress in treating bedridden problems. That has changed. Even with prostate cancer, people are living longer.”
4. Depression
“One men’s health issue we deal with a lot is depression. Younger people are more open to therapy, to sharing their feelings. the larger population is waiting until it crashes,” Hammonds said. “We’ll talk about the issues and maybe prescribe an anti-depressant and/or counseling. If it’s depression – you lost your job, your wife left you, we’ll improve your sleep quality and refer you to a support group or counselling.’
5. Relationships
Navigating relationships is something that many men deal with. Both Madison County and Oneida County have excellent mental health resources, Hammonds said.
“Millions of people are dealing with these issues. it’s not just you,” Hammonds stressed. “There is help – get help! We are accepting new patients.”
