Men’s Health

We all want to be in good health, yet men are least likely to visit their doctor if they're worried about their health. A little time spent reading through this information will go a long way towards knowing what danger signals you should be on the lookout for.

Snore wars: reducing the racket

The noise that you hear as a snore is due to some sort of structure within the mouth, nose, throat area vibrating. So you’ve got to really find out what structure is vibrating so you can treat it properly. It could either be a tongue, it could be the uvula – which is the flappy bit at the back of the throat – or it could be some sort of blockage within the nose area.

The main triggers for snoring are being overweight, smoking, and drinking too much alcohol. Because of this, it’s mainly men aged 50-59 who snore. Other reasons are that men tend to put on weight around the neck area, unlike women – and it’s this fatty tissue that pre-disposes to snoring because it squeezes the airway closed.

But snoring can also be triggered by allergies ranging from feather pillows to house dust mites, pet hair and even household cleaners can cause snoring. The first stage in ‘reducing the noise’ is to lose weight if overweight and for smokers to stop smoking and of course, reduce alcohol intake, particularly late in the evening as too much alcohol disturbs and alters the pattern of sleep. People who drink too much tend to sleep on their back – another cause of snoring.

Open mouth snoring can use 'chin up strips' which stop the mouth from dropping open and for those with nasal stuffiness, nasal dilators and sprays can help.

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is another option. This treatment for sleep apnoea can also be effective for snorers.

Checking for testicular cancer

Things can go wrong with your testicles slowly, quickly or very fast indeed. A few conditions that affect the testicles are serious, but most are not. Knowing what your testicles normally feel and look like makes good sense so that changes can be spotted and advice sought quickly if needed.

Signs to watch out for:

• a lump in one testicle
• pain and tenderness in either testicle
• discharge or pus from the penis
• blood in the sperm at ejaculation
• a build-up of fluid inside the scrotum
• a heavy or dragging feeling in the groin or scrotum
• an enlargement of the breasts with or without tenderness
• an increase in size of a testicle (one testicle is normally larger then the other but the size and shape should remain more or less the same).

How to check your testicles:
It is recommended to check your testicles monthly:

• do the self-examination lying in a warm bath or while having a long shower, as this softens the skin of the scrotum, which makes it easier to feel the testicles inside.
• examine the scrotum, looking for any lumps on the skin or swellings inside.
• cradle the whole scrotum and testicles in the palm of your hand and feel the difference between the testicles. One is almost always larger and lying lower. This is completely normal.
• examine each testicle in turn, and then compare them with each other. Use both hands and gently roll each testicle between thumb and forefinger.
• Check for any lumps or swellings as both testicles should be smooth except where the duct that carries sperm to the penis, the epididymis, runs. This lies along the top and back of the testicle and normally feels bumpy.

Testicular cancer represents only 1 per cent of all cancers in men, but it is the single biggest cause of cancer-related deaths in men aged 15 to 35 years in the UK.

Although testicular cancer is rare, it is not at all uncommon to find a lump in your testicles. There are many conditions that can be easily confused with testicular cancer, and most of them are not anything like as serious.

Male hair loss

Male hair loss is the most common type of hair loss. It is caused by increased sensitivity to male sex hormones (androgens) in certain parts of the scalp, and is passed on from generation to generation

What causes male hair loss?

Some men have areas on the scalp that are very sensitive to the male sex hormones that circulate in men's blood. The hormones make the hair follicles - from which hair grows - shrink. Eventually, they become so small that they cannot replace lost hairs. The follicles are still alive, but are no longer able to perform their task.

The condition usually starts in men aged 20 to 30 and follows a typical pattern. First, a receding hairline develops, and gradually the hair on top of the head also begins to thin. Eventually, the two balding areas meet to form a typical U-shape around the back and sides of the head. The hair that remains is often finer, and does not grow as quickly as it used to.

How is male hair loss treated?

Baldness is generally regarded as natural, and not a disease. So if a person decides they wish to try to get their hair back, they will probably have to pay for the lengthy, expensive procedure themselves. Treatment can be through medication or plastic surgery.