Men, look after your health!

It is well known that men tend to keep things bottled up when it comes to medical issues. That can prove harmful to their health, and there are many non-invasive treatments available for urological symptoms.

Between 10-16 June the world celebrates Men’s Health Week. This is an important time to raise awareness for health issues that affect men and to encourage talking about it.

Consultant Urologist Mr CJ Shukla at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals says that patients, especially men, sometimes ignore signs through embarrassment or ignorance. In line with Men’s Health Week, he has outlined and given advice on two common but often undiagnosed conditions.

Low testosterone

Low testosterone is an underdiagnosed condition in men with the consequence of significant detriment to health. It manifests in a variety of ways with symptoms of sexual nature such as low libido or erectile dysfunction. Alternatively, it may present in other ways such as loss of energy, lack of ability to concentrate, muscle and bone weakness. In the long run, it may lead to heart disease and early death if untreated.

Due to the variety of symptoms, it mimics other conditions and may be mimicked by other conditions. Diagnosis may be elusive due to the complex overlap of non-specific symptoms as well as the fact that some patients may appear to have a low normal level on blood tests that require complex calculations to diagnose the condition. Not all men require treatment, but for those who do, a number of options are available which require an assessment and tailoring to the individual patient. Side effects may mean that additional therapies or investigations are necessary and we are expert at dealing with this condition.

We would assess the individual against the set of symptoms using a questionnaire, examine the patient and organise the blood test which is ideally performed early in the morning, ideally in a fasting state. Once diagnosed, a full explanation including that of treatment and expected outcomes is undertaken with a full plan of surveillance to reduce the risk of side effects that may require additional tests or treatments is offered. Further information is available at www.scottishandrologyservices.com

Peyronie’s disease

Peyronie’s disease is a common condition that affects approximately 9% of men and is likely to be under-reported. As a condition, it has a variety of manifestations. It can cause symptoms of penile curvature, loss of length, erectile difficulties as well as shortening of the length of the penis, or a combination of these. These changes to a patient can lead to severe symptoms of depression and loss of confidence, as well as loss of intimacy with their partner.

A number of surgical and non-surgical treatment options are available and where possible, non-surgical options are preferred. Surgical options have the ability to straighten a deformity but can lead to side effects such as further loss of length and erectile dysfunction. Non-surgical options are many, but the most recent innovation is the collagenase/Xiapex injection which is available at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals under the direction of Mr Shukla who is trained and expert in this condition. Currently, he is the only Urologist trained and offering this therapy in Scotland, with excellent results. In most cases, the treatment is removing the need for surgery, or a lesser form of surgery is needed.

If you have any concerns, contact us on 0131 316 2507 or info@spireedinburgh.com.