Movember is the month in which awareness is raised about men’s health, focusing specifically on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide.
Every year, men grow moustaches to show their support for the cause. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men in South Africa.
It may show no signs or symptoms in its early stages, but as prostate cancer advances the following symptoms may be experienced:
• Trouble urinating• Decreased force in the stream of urine• Blood in the urine• Blood in the semen• Bone pain• Losing weight without trying• Erectile dysfunction
How can you prevent prostate cancer?Screening tests, ordered by your doctor, can identify an issue early on. A routine blood test that detects prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which is a protein produced by both cancerous (malignant) and non-cancerous (benign) prostate tissue, is one of the most common screening tests used. High PSA levels may indicate inflammation of the prostate or even cancer.
Who should be having screening tests?• From the age of 40 men at high risk of prostate cancer, including those with more than one first-degree relative (father, brother or son) who had prostate cancer at an early age (younger than 65 years), should have a PSA test every year.
• From the age of 45 men who are at risk of prostate cancer, including those with a history of prostate cancer on either the mother or father’s side, or with a first-degree relative (father, brother, or son) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than 65 years), should have a PSA test every year.
• From the age of 50 all men should have a PSA test at least every two years. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 35.
Men should perform a testicular self-exam at least every six months. Both testicles should feel relatively smooth and soft, similar to the palm of your hand or a hard-boiled egg. If you notice anything different, such as a firm lump or bump, you should seek medical attention immediately
Symptoms of testicular cancer include: • Swelling or sudden fluid build-up in your scrotum• A lump or swelling in either testicle• A feeling of heaviness in your scrotum• Dull ache in your groin or lower abdomen• Pain or discomfort in your scrotum or a testicle• A shrinking testicle (testicular atrophy)
There is no standard screening test for testicular cancer, but men can perform self-exams to check for changes in their testicles.
The reality of men’s mental healthSuicide claims 60 men every hour around the world. In a study by the Priory Group, 40% of men had never spoken about their mental health, yet 77% of men admit they suffer from anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions.
Men find it embarrassing to talk about because of the negative stigma around mental health: that it makes you look weak and unable to function as a man should, according to societal norms. This Mo-vember is about challenging that stigma and encouraging men to speak up and seize their Mo-ment, and suffer in silence no longer.
The importance of mental health opennessOften referred to as a ‘silent pandemic’, men’s mental health is in crisis in South Africa. In 2019, 13 774 people died as a result of mental health conditions, and of those, 79% were men. Encouraging men to speak up about their mental health is crucial, so they don’t end up as another statistic.
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