Women’s attitude and sensitivity towards the disease (and its prevention) differs from that of men. Perhaps the biological marks of ontogenetic evolution give women this difference in behavior: puberty, motherhood and menopause are very marked milestones in their existence and more attenuated in a man's life. It is an unavoidable fact that women include regular follow-up with the gynecologist in their health calendar and that men ignore regular visits to the urologist . This asymmetry has been more pronounced in the past, with men approaching their fifth decade of life already placing the state of the prostate on their health agenda. It is not uncommon that what moves a man to see a urologist is illness in close proximity (a sick family member, neighbor or someone else he knows), a recommendation from his general practitioner or some symptoms that cause the alert. Any symptom should receive clinical attention. However, there are also diseases that develop asymptomatically and that must be diagnosed in this state . This is possible with regular visits to the doctor within the rational parameters defined by him. In the area of urology alone, there are several diseases that run without symptoms and when they appear the future prospects worsen: prostate cancer, kidney cancer, lithiasis (stone) in the kidney, testicular tumor, bladder cancer. Prostate cancer This silent tumor evolves insidiously and, when it presents with symptoms, it is usually beyond the cure spectrum. It is a very common disease in men over the age of 50 and is curable if diagnosed and treated in a timely. Kidney cancer Also very silent, it is increasingly common for it to be diagnosed incidentally in ultrasound and tomographic studies due to other diseases. And it is also curable if diagnosed and treated in due time. Kidney stones When they begin to develop, stones lodged inside the kidney do not usually cause symptoms and some must be treated before complications arise. Testicular cancer More important before the age of 40, this tumor has a high cure rate and can be diagnosed in a timely manner if the man practices testicular self-examination and seeks medical care if any changes are identified. Bladder cancer Sometimes symptoms appear at an early stage, in other cases only when the tumor grows and multiplies. Therefore, bloody urine without symptoms should never be ignored, especially in smokers. Immediate medical evaluation can save life. Regular surveillance of men's urological health A regular visit to the urologist allow to identify timely almost all of the aforementioned diseases , especially because in addition to clinical observation, urologists usually have ultrasound equipment in their offices. Fear, embarrassment and shyness exist and must be understood. However, nowadays “there are no longer so many skeletons in the closet” and men are now consulting the urologist more frequently to address their sexual health, debating and exposing the topics of erectile dysfunction , premature ejaculation and sexual inadequacy. However, many people postpone the day they take their first step for months or years, losing their quality of life and increasing their suffering every day they look to the side instead of moving forward. Sometimes it is women who give them the push to move forward. It is the same embarrassment and small shame that hold men back from seeking solutions for inflammatory processes in the penis and some sexually transmitted diseases , pathologies that urgently need to be treated quickly to end the pain, risk and restore well-being. Do not ignore balanitis (inflammation of the glans), posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin) , ulcers on the penis, “warts” and all types of urethral discharge. A quick consultation means immediate treatment and easy cure. Don't be afraid or embarrassed, seek for a urologist . Author : Carlos Guimarães Meet the urology clinical team from Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
