Being aware about your health – and taking action!

June 14 2021   |   News

Cancer is a dreadful disease but our understanding of it and available treatments are improving all the time. Early diagnosis is a key element to successfully treating cancer which is why continued awareness of potential symptoms and regular health checks are so very important.

We know how easy it is to let something go unchecked. Most of us are probably more concerned and aware about health problems developing in a loved one than in ourselves, but please take the time to think about yourself as well – it just might prevent a situation from becoming too serious to do anything about!

Stay alert

Recognising that something is wrong and acting promptly doesn’t come easy to most of us. We much prefer to think a change to our health, however small, will pass, it’s not worth bothering about and that there’s certainly no point in wasting the time of your doctor over something trivial.

It’s a situation which hasn’t been helped by a year in which normal medical consultations have been severely restricted – adding to the ease of avoidance, particularly in men, of facing up to the fact they may have a problem and need to do something about it! 

The big three

Incredibly, there are more than 200 different types of cancer but the three most prevalent forms of cancer in men are:

• Prostate cancer
• Lung cancer 
• Bowel cancer

It’s a sad fact that even with the advances we have made in the field, one in two men will develop cancer during their lifetime. Prostate cancer tops the list for men with statistics showing that one in eight men will get it and 31 men are dying every day from it. It’s not helped by the fact that there can be no early symptoms, meaning diagnosis is often not detected until a late stage.

Symptoms of cancer

With so many different forms of cancer, it’s important for men to recognise the symptoms and tell-tale warning signs. Symptoms include:

• Trouble urinating
• An ache, lump or pain in the scrotum

• A change in bowel or bladder habits
• Constant pain
• A sore that will not heal
• Unexplained weight loss
• Unusual discharge or bleeding
• Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing
• Fatigue
• Clear change in a wart or mole
• Fever
• Skin changes 
• Persistent cough or hoarseness

Recognise the symptoms and act if you feel in any way concerned about them. You can also ensure you remain healthy through regular health checks which alert you to any problems which may be developing and can provide early intervention to counter it should it be necessary. Remain aware about your health and act swiftly when you need to!