dawn-man-person-164293.jpgNovember is Men’s Health month.

Globally, men die on average six years earlier than women, and for reasons that are largely preventable. Which means that it doesn’t have to be that way: we can all take action to live healthier, happier and longer lives.

Some men don’t like asking for help, but we are encouraging you to reach out if you need to. Speak to a friend, family member or colleague.

Men's health includes conditions that only affect men, such as prostate cancer and low testosterone. Many of the major health risks that men face - like colon cancer or heart disease - can be prevented and treated with early diagnosis.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and it is thought that here in the UK around 36,000 are diagnosed with this terrible disease each year. 

Laila Noble, therapeutic radiographer at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“Often men have no signs or symptoms and little awareness of the disease.”

Prostate cancer kills 10,000 men in the UK every year. Prostate Cancer UK is available for support and information.

The prostate is a gland. It is usually the size and shape of a walnut and grows bigger as you get older. It sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body. The prostate's main job is to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm.

Ms Noble said:

“Prostate cancer can develop when cells in the prostate start to grow in an uncontrolled way.”

Some prostate cancer grows too slowly to cause any problems or affect how long you live. Because of this, many men with prostate cancer will never need any treatment.

But some prostate cancer grows quickly and is more likely to spread. This is more likely to cause problems and needs treatment to stop it spreading.

Prostate cancer mainly affects men over 50, and your risk increases with age. Experts say the risk is even higher for black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer.

Other symptoms of prostate cancer include: difficulty in starting to urinate, straining or taking a long time while urinating, weak flow, feeling that the bladder had not emptied fully.

The Trust regularly organises workshops for men in its own workforce relating to men’s health issues.

The NHS has a dedicated page relating to men’s health issues.You can find more information about a range of issues here https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/mens-health/

There is also more information available here https://uk.movember.com/