Which doctors should men see at each stage of life?

(FOLHAPRESS) Men's resistance to seeking medical care continues to be one of the main challenges for disease prevention. Many only seek help when the problem is already advanced. Celebrated this Wednesday (15), Men's Day seeks to draw the attention of the male population to the importance of health care.

Experts say that knowing which doctors to see at each stage of life is one of the ways to identify diseases early and reduce the risk of complications.

According to psychologist Priscila Maria Gabos, from Hospital Samaritano Higienópolis, from Rede Américas, male resistance to looking for a doctor is more related to cultural factors than to a lack of information.

“Many men have been educated to believe that they need to endure pain and solve problems alone,” he says.

As a consequence, physical and emotional symptoms are minimized. In this interval, the patient can delay diagnoses, reduce the chances of prevention and increase the risk of complications.

"Traditional models of masculinity can create a false association between vulnerability and weakness. From a psychological point of view, recognizing limits, expressing emotions and seeking support are skills related to self-care and even emotional maturity", says Gabos.

According to the psychologist, men need to understand that health is not just the absence of disease, but involves physical, emotional and social well-being. This means maintaining a routine with preventive consultations, physical activity, adequate sleep, balanced diet, positive social bonds and strategies for dealing with stress.

“The more we naturalize the search for help and preventive care, the greater the adoption of men will tend to be and the better the chances of a longer and healthier life will be”, he states.

For family doctor Rosana Castello Branco, from Hospital São Domingos, in São Luís (MA), health care should begin in childhood and continue throughout life, always focusing on prevention and adapted to the needs of each patient.

Which doctors to see and at what ages?

In childhood, consultation with a pediatrician is the first step. At this stage, in addition to growth and development, aspects such as hygiene, oral health, motor and emotional development, sexual maturation and vaccination must be evaluated.

Some changes require early intervention, such as phimosis and problems related to the testicles. The family doctor also plays an important role from childhood.

In adolescence, the urologist should be part of the medical monitoring. For Ricardo Ferro, coordinator of Urology at Hospital Brasília, from Rede Américas, the first contact with this professional should occur between the ages of 12 and 18.

At this stage, the urologist can advise on STIs (sexually transmitted infections), hygiene, sexuality and self-care, in addition to evaluating pubertal development.

Between the ages of 20 and 39, the family doctor remains the main reference for preventive care, monitoring vaccination and the risks of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and STIs. When necessary, the patient can be referred to specialists.

"At this stage, one of the main precautions is to keep vaccinations up to date. In childhood, this monitoring is usually done by parents, but, in adolescence and adulthood, many people fail to check whether their vaccination schedule is still up to date", says Branco.

During this period, the urologist gains more importance in monitoring sexual and reproductive health and diagnosing conditions such as varicocele, the main cause of male infertility, in addition to testicular cancer, the incidence of which is higher among young men.

From the age of 40 onwards, care for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, changes in cholesterol and some types of cancer increases.

Monitoring continues to be individualized and may include referral to specialists, such as cardiologists and endocrinologists, depending on each patient's history and risk factors.

From the age of 45, the discussion about the evaluation of prostate cancer begins. The disease is silent and presents no symptoms in the initial phase. Many patients only receive the diagnosis in advanced stages, when the chances of a cure decrease drastically. Therefore, it is important to maintain constant vigilance from that age onwards.

For men without risk factors, this conversation should start around age 50. For those with a family history of prostate cancer in first-degree relatives, such as a father or brothers, and for black or obese men, who are at greater risk of developing more aggressive forms of the disease, it should occur from the age of 45.

"The evaluation combines the digital rectal examination, which analyzes the consistency and shape of the prostate, and the PSA blood test. The two are complementary. One does not replace the other", says Ferro.

After the age of 60, the family doctor continues to coordinate monitoring and begins to pay greater attention to preventing falls, preserving autonomy and cognitive, hearing and visual health, in addition to reviewing medications and nutritional status, as loss of muscle mass can compromise functionality.

When necessary, the patient is referred to specialists, according to their needs.

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