Men’s Health Issues

Article by David Pammer

All About Men’s health

Could Finger Length Predict Penile Length?

A look at the relative length of a man’s index and ring fingers might be a good predictor of the length of his genitalia, according to South Korean researchers.

They found that the ratio between the second and fourth digits on a man’s right hand seemed to correlate to the length of his flaccid and stretched genitalia, with a lower index-to-ring finger length ratio indicating a longer genitalia.

The key to this relationship may lie in the womb, the team added.

“During the fetal period, high concentrations of testosterone lead to high testicular activity, resulting in a lower digit ratio,” In the present study, patients with a lower digit ratio tended to have a longer stretched penile length.”

They added that the length of the stretched and flaccid genitalia does show “a strong correlation” with an erect penile length.

The study was published July 4 in the Asian Journal of Andrology. Men’s Health problems that are shared by men and women, such as cardiovascular disease and some cancers, tend to affect men earlier in life. There are also certain conditions including prostate disorders, testicular problems and impotence that are specific to men. Men are also at higher risk of injuries, death on the roads and suicide. Overall there are more premature deaths in men than in women.

Despite these challenges to their health, men tend to ignore their symptoms, are less likely to visit their GP for advice, and may be especially reluctant to ask for help for emotional problems.

Enlarged prostate gland- Men’s health

The prostate is a gland located just below your bladder and surrounds your urethra (the tube for passing urine). Its usual function is to produce a fluid that is mixed with sperm during ejaculation. The gland tends to get bigger with age and this can push on the urethra, interfering with the flow of urine. This condition is called benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) – it isn’t cancerous. About half of men over 50 get symptoms of BPH including:

feeling that you haven’t completely emptied your bladder

needing to get up several times a night to pass urine going frequently during the day difficulty in starting to pass urine, a weak stream or dribbling at the end of passing urine.

For some men an enlarged prostate can be just a minor nuisance. For others it can have a significant effect on quality of life. Options for treating BPH include lifestyle measures, medicines to relax the bladder or shrink the prostate and surgery.

Prostate cancer- Men’s Health

Around 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the UK, three times the number diagnosed 30 years ago. The majority of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are over 60 and the disease is rare in men under 50. The risk of getting prostate cancer is increased if a first-degree relative, such as your father or brother, have had it.

Prostate cancer can press on the urethra and block the flow of urine producing symptoms similar to those of BPH. See your GP if you’re concerned.

The choice of treatment depends on many factors, including your age, general men’s health, stage of the cancer and side-effects of the treatment. Prostate cancer is often slow-growing, so in some older men the best treatment may be ‘watchful waiting’ – close monitoring with no treatment. In other men, surgery, radiotherapy or hormone therapy may be considered.

Screening is available with a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). However, the test isn’t recommended as routine in the NHS because there is uncertainty over whether its benefits outweigh the potential harm it may cause. It’s important to make sure you understand the pros and cons of PSA testing before having the test.

Newer, more specific tests may be available in the future

Cardiovascular disease, Men’s Health

Diseases of the heart and the circulation (cardiovascular disease), including heart attacks and stroke, are the main cause of death in the UK. Men are affected earlier in life than women and, up to the age of 75, are more likely to die from these conditions.

Changing your lifestyle – particularly stopping smoking if you do – and controlling risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol can significantly reduce this risk.

Important ways you can help prevent cardiovascular disease include:

stopping smoking taking 30 minutes of physical activity a day

eating a healthy, balanced diet including five portions of fruit and vegetables a day

maintaining a healthy weight

not drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol

getting your blood pressure and cholesterol level checked and treated if necessary

keeping your stress levels under control

These lifestyle changes may also reduce the risk of other diseases such as lung cancer and diabetes.

Alcohol-Men’s Health

In the UK for example, over a third of men drink more than the government’s recommended limits. These state that men should not regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol per day, and that they should not drink alcohol for 48 hours after a heavy session to let the body recover.

It’s easy to underestimate how much you’re drinking. Although there is no firm definition of ‘binge drinking’, a measure of it can be taken as drinking double or more than double the recommended daily limit of alcohol. Nearly one in three men aged 16 to 24 drinks more than eight units in a session at least once a week.

Drinking too much can cause immediate problems, including injuries and alcohol poisoning. In the longer term, too much alcohol can cause liver damage, high blood pressure and memory problems in men’s health.

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About the Author

In the past three years, David Pammer has sold more books than any other author (according to Bookscan), and in total, David’s books have sold an estimated 220 million copies worldwide. Since 2006, one out of every seventeen hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. He is the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and children’s bestsellers lists and is the only author to have five new hardcover novels debut at #1 on the list in one year–a record-breaking feat he’s accomplished every year since 2005

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