Services › Men’s Health
Men’s Health
Men's health seems to be one of the most neglected fields of medicine, if for nothing else, because men tend to consult medical professionals much later, often when symptoms are unbearable or too obvious and unfortunately possibly too late.
CARDIAC HEALTH
Cardiac health is on the forefront especially in the middle aged and often busy and over-stressed man. The risk is greater if there is a family history, and/or risk factors such as diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity and inactivity. All these are unfortunately all too present in our population. At St. Andrews you can come and speak to us to discuss these issues, where we can assess you medically and check your BMI, test for the risk factors, help in smoking cessation, and draw up a plan to lose weight and increase general fitness. CLICK HERE to see the range of cardiology services available at St. Andrews. Referrals can also be made to our in-house Cardiologists and Cardiac Surgeons.
BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTROPHY
Benign prostatic hypertrophy, a common disease in older men. The prostate gland is only found in men, and with age can swell up. Though this is a benign condition, the swelling can compress the urine outflow causing urinary symptoms including poor urinary stream, frequency of urine and waking up at night to urinate. If in doubt come speak to your practitioner who will help differentiate between other causes of urinary symptoms and reach a diagnosis. It is important to recognise the symptoms early as there is effective treatment to control the swelling and prevent potential complications. A consultant urologist is also available at St. Andrews, as is the facility to carry out Ultrasound examinations of the prostate.
SEXUAL HEALTH
Sexual Health is a diverse and important subject ranging from erectile dysfunction to difficulty in conception to sexually transmitted diseases.
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is much commoner than thought and this is due to the fact that it is not often talked about, either because of embarrassment or because of the wrong assumption that it is "just age". Well, that is not the case and causes are various and many can be helped. Causes include stress and depression, high blood pressure diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia, and various medications. Speak to us so together we can identify the underlying cause and where applicable treat and overcome the effects.
Sexually transmitted diseases
Prevention is always better than cure but when in doubt it is always wise to check. STDs are often missed in men due to the paucity of symptoms, and only a handful of infections cause the irritating burning or discharge. Most infections are silent and latent. Screening is therefore important to initiate early treatment and increase chances of cure and decrease risk of spread. Tests include blood tests, urine testing and swabs. Most tests can be carried out and treated by our GPs. We do however also benefit from the services of a Specialist in Infectious Diseases who runs a dedicated Infectious Diseases Clinic. CLICK HERE for more information.
CANCER SCREENING
Cancer screening is very important as early diagnosis increases the chances of more effective treatment. General blood tests can pick out inflammations in the body but more specific tests can be carried out such as PSA for prostatic cancer which unlike benign prostatic hypertrophy, is often without any symptoms or warning signs. Blood tests exist for other cancers which however, being less sensitive or specific, are not recommended for screening purposes but can form part of a comprehensive work-up by your practitioner after assessment of risk factors, and consideration or symptoms and physical findings on examination. Other cancer screening tests that can be carried out including testicular ultrasounds; smokers can be referred to our Chest Physician, and if there is a suspicion or high risk of bowel cancer, we can organise investigations such as faecal occult blood and colonoscopy by our Gastroenterologist. Please do also check your skin, and if in doubt consult our GPs or dermatologists.
General Practitioner Services
St. Andrews Clinics offers a daily GP service, each morning Monday to Friday at 10:00 onwards, each afternoon Monday to Friday from 16:00 onwards.