Men in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes have been encouraged to think about various aspects of their health during Men’s Health Month, which runs throughout November each year.
Many people will be familiar with the popular ‘Mo-vember’ campaign which encourages men to spend the month growing often extravagant moustaches in exchange for sponsorship money from friends and family, but there is a serious message behind the fun. Men’s Health Month concentrates on three conditions which affect men of different ages: mental health and suicide, testicular cancer and prostate cancer.
Dr Ian Reckless, chief medical officer at Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said:
“Younger men should get into the habit of checking themselves for testicular cancer, from around the age of 12 onwards. Lumps and bumps down there aren’t unusual, but you should get to know what’s normal for you and check yourself around once a month. There are lots of guides online to help you: the NHS website is a great place to start, but the charity Testicular Cancer UK also has a video guide which can help.
“The risk of prostate cancer is greater in older men, so if you’re aged over 50 then you may want to learn more about the symptoms to look out for, such as needing to urinate (pee) more, or feeling that you have to strain while you are doing so. You’re also more at risk if you are of Black heritage, or if your father or brother has had prostate cancer. There is no screening programme for prostate cancer, but if you are concerned then your GP will be able to offer advice. There is more information on prostate cancer symptoms and risk factors on the NHS website.
“And whatever your age, you should think about checking in with friends regularly, to see how they – and you! – are really feeling. Four out of every five suicides are by men, and it’s the biggest cause of death in men under 35 years of age. For 2022, the most recent year for which figures are available, the highest rate of suicide in the UK was among men aged 40 to 54, and men are also three times as likely as women to become dependent on alcohol or to report regular drug use.
“Having mates you can talk to is important for all of us men. Just sharing a worry or a concern means that there’s already someone else on your side. Charities such as Mates In Mind and Movember work hard all year round to improve men’s health and to encourage men to seek help when they need it most.”
