Men's Health Issues that Need Attention

Men’s health issues, like women’s health issues, have been properly studied and documented. Yet, there are health issues today that most men are hesitant to talk about or seek proper diagnosis from their doctors or other health professionals. For this reason, they just allow these health issues to become worst. Some of these health issues include the following:

Sexual Issues

Erectile dysfunction is a health issue that is common among men, yet most men refuse or hesitate to acknowledge this problem. This is because of the culture that sets men’s thinking that their admittance of erectile dysfunction will somehow, diminish their masculinity. Hence, instead of discussing the issue with their doctor or partner, they try to find solution or quick fixes from untested products. In many cases, the solution to this health issue is to simply reduce the stress and take time to relax. However, it can also be a symptom of an underlying health issue such as a prostate problem or diabetes. Hence, if erectile dysfunction is experienced, it is important to seek for a health professional advice for proper diagnosis and avoid making the problem worst.

Infertility

Most men often misinterpret infertility with erectile dysfunction. These two health issues are not related to each other. Infertility is a men’s health issue which is characterized by slow sperm motility, a low amount of sperm that is present in the semen, abnormal size or shape of the sperm, or issues with the semen itself. Hence, even if a man suffers from infertility, he can still achieve an erection. However, in many cases, especially in places where male dominance is important, an otherwise healthy man refuses to go through a fertility test.

Today numerous health innovations are available to treat this disorder, which start from medications to IVF (In-vitro fertilization). Nevertheless, in some cases, infertility can be resolved by simply avoiding or making changes to one’s lifestyle such as exercising regularly, eating proper diet, decreasing or completely avoiding alcohol consumption, and quitting smoking. Men who are involved in jobs like manufacturing, landscaping, or construction should try to minimize exposing their selves to environmental toxins, which come from pesticides, radiation, lead, and insecticides by wearing protective items like masks. Even so, it is still important to seek professional diagnosis to get the best solution.

Tinnitus

Though tinnitus affects people of all genders and ages, it is more likely to develop in men. About one man, out of eight men with ages ranging from 65 to 74, suffers from this condition. This condition has been regarded as a symptom of an underlying health issue than an actual health disorder. It is characterized by hearing noises every now and then, disrupting sleep or concentration. These noises can vary from roaring, squeaking, whooshing, chirping, ringing, whistling, hissing, buzzing, and more. In most cases, only the sufferer can hear these noises. This condition can be avoided or treated by wearing ear protectors, avoiding loud noises, learning to manage chronic stress, and quitting smoking and alcohol drinking. Nonetheless, if the condition persists, seek for a professional help.

Fertility Figures In The United States

Many couples today struggle with infertility. There are many potential causes for infertility, from certain diseases or illnesses to lifestyle choices. Even the choice to wait until you’re older to try to conceive can have an impact on your fertility.

Let’s take a look at some of the raw numbers in regard to fertility in the United States. Here are some figures for 2012:

• Number of women with fertility struggles. There are approximately 6.7 million women of the ages between 15 and 44 in the United States today that have at least some impaired fertility. That works out to almost 11% of women.
• Number of married women with infertility. In this case, infertility is defined as being unable to conceive for at least 12 months in a row. There are 1.5 million women between the ages of 15 and 44 that fall into this category. That works out to 6% of married women.
• Married couples who are infertile. There are approximately 2 million married couples who experience infertility each year.
• Pregnancy loss. About two million women lose a pregnancy each year. The most common cause at 1.2 million is termination. Miscarriage follows behind at 600,000. Approximately 64,000 women experience an ectopic pregnancy. 26,000 stillbirths occur each year, as well. Molar pregnancy accounts for 6,000 losses each year.
• PCOS and infertility. PCOS affects about 10% of women in the United States, and is responsible for causing fertility struggles for about half of those women.
• Male vs female infertility. In about 30% of all cases of infertility, the male is primarily responsible. The same number – about 30% - holds for women, as well In about 20% of cases, it’s a problem with both the male and female partners. Approximately 20% of infertility cases have no known explanation.
• Insurance and infertility treatments. Only 14 states have passed legislation that requires your insurance company to cover the costs of diagnosis and treatment for infertility. These include Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia.
• Number of women who have used fertility services. In total, it’s estimated that around 7.4 million women between the ages of 15 and 44 have used fertility services at one point or another.

As you can see, fertility is something that we, as Americans, are really struggling with right now. There are all sorts of theories about why this is; some of the theories are scientific, and relate to environmental factors. Others are sociological, and relate to how we’re changing as a society.

Regardless of the causes, infertility treatment is big business in the United Sates. With 7.4 million women having received fertility services, you can begin to see just how much money is involved in this industry. To further complicate matters, we’re still in the early days of this industry, and legislation has yet to catch up with issues like advertising for fertility services and the practices of fertility companies such as sperm banks. Vickie Barnes operates BabyHopes.com, with her husband. For helping people get pregnant.

A couple's journey with infertility; similar tale likely in your town

Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal follows the story of Kelly and James Durst, who turned to in vitro fertilization when they had trouble conceiving a child.

The Dursts are "among the 12 percent of reproductive-age couples in the United States who couldn't conceive without help," Ungar reports.

In April 2010, they gave birth to son Cooper, one of more than 675,000 babies born in the U.S. through assisted reproduction techniques since 1985. "He is literally the light of our lives," Kelly said. "He's why we try to make things better each day."

Ungar follows the Dursts' journey to have a second child, this time using the frozen embryos that were created at the time of Cooper's conception. The embryos will be placed in Kelly's womb.

Given the growing prevalence of assisted reproduction techniques, stories like the Dursts' can likely be found in nearly every community and make for a compelling read. (Read more)