Many of the conditions that have the greatest effect on men’s long term health develop gradually and produce few obvious symptoms during their early stages.
High blood pressure can remain undetected for years. Raised cholesterol may cause no noticeable symptoms. Type 2 diabetes can develop gradually and some cancers are considerably easier to treat when identified before they have progressed.
Preventive healthcare is therefore not simply about visiting a doctor when something feels wrong. It also involves understanding which aspects of health should be monitored at different stages of life and recognising changes that deserve further investigation.
The appropriate checks will vary according to age, medical history, family history and individual risk factors. However, several areas deserve particular attention throughout adult life.
Know your blood pressure
Blood pressure is one of the most useful indicators of cardiovascular health because persistently high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of serious conditions including heart disease and stroke.
The difficulty is that hypertension frequently produces no obvious symptoms.
A man can therefore feel physically well while his blood pressure remains above the healthy range. This makes periodic measurement important even in the absence of symptoms.
Blood pressure can be measured at GP surgeries, some pharmacies and through validated home monitors. A single raised reading does not necessarily establish that someone has hypertension because blood pressure naturally changes throughout the day and can temporarily rise due to stress, physical activity and other factors.
Repeatedly raised readings, however, should be assessed by a healthcare professional.
Men who already have cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes or other conditions associated with increased cardiovascular risk may require more frequent monitoring according to their clinical circumstances.
For otherwise eligible adults in England between the ages of 40 and 74, an NHS Health Check can provide an opportunity to assess blood pressure alongside several other important cardiovascular risk factors.
Check cholesterol and understand cardiovascular risk
Cholesterol is another important component of cardiovascular health that cannot reliably be assessed according to how someone feels.
Cholesterol itself performs essential functions within the body. The concern arises when the balance and concentration of particular blood lipids contribute to the formation of fatty deposits within the arteries.
A blood test can measure different components of the lipid profile and help a healthcare professional assess cardiovascular risk alongside factors such as age, blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and family history.
The frequency with which cholesterol should be checked depends on individual circumstances rather than a single schedule that applies to every man.
Someone with established cardiovascular disease, a strong family history or previously abnormal results may require more regular testing than a younger man without significant risk factors.
Lifestyle remains an important part of managing cardiovascular risk. Regular physical activity, avoiding smoking, maintaining a nutritionally balanced diet and moderating alcohol consumption can all contribute to cardiovascular health.
However, lifestyle alone is not always sufficient. Some people have substantially raised cholesterol because of genetic factors and may require medical treatment even when they otherwise follow a healthy lifestyle.
Testing provides information that appearance and fitness alone cannot provide.
Monitor blood glucose and diabetes risk
Type 2 diabetes becomes more common with age and can remain undiagnosed for a considerable period.
Persistently raised blood glucose can gradually damage blood vessels and nerves and increase the risk of complications involving the heart, kidneys, eyes and feet.
Risk is influenced by several factors including age, family history, ethnicity, body composition and physical activity.
Blood glucose testing may therefore form part of a broader health assessment when clinically appropriate.
One commonly used measurement is HbA1c, which provides information about average blood glucose over approximately the previous two to three months.
This can help identify people whose glucose levels are within the diabetic or prediabetic range.
Symptoms such as persistent thirst, frequent urination, unexplained tiredness or unexplained changes in weight should also be discussed with a healthcare professional rather than waiting for a routine health assessment.
For many men, monitoring blood glucose becomes particularly relevant because diabetes affects several other aspects of health, including cardiovascular risk, kidney function, vision and sexual function.
Become familiar with what is normal for your testicles
Preventive health is not limited to blood tests and formal screening programmes.
Men should also become familiar with the normal appearance and feel of their testicles.
Testicular cancer differs from many cancers because it is particularly relevant to younger men. Regular checks can help someone recognise a change more quickly because they already understand what is normal for their body.
The testicles should normally feel smooth and firm rather than hard. It is also normal for one to be slightly larger or to hang lower than the other.
What matters is a new change.
A lump, swelling, persistent ache, change in size or unusual feeling within a testicle should be assessed by a GP.
Checking regularly, approximately once a month, can make these changes easier to identify. A warm bath or shower can make examination easier because the skin of the scrotum is more relaxed.
Most testicular lumps are not caused by cancer. Nevertheless, they should not be diagnosed at home. Early medical assessment can identify the cause and ensure that appropriate treatment is provided when necessary.
Pay attention to prostate health as you age
Prostate health becomes increasingly relevant as men grow older.
The prostate commonly becomes larger with age and benign enlargement can cause urinary symptoms including a weaker urine flow, difficulty beginning urination, needing to urinate more frequently and waking repeatedly during the night to use the toilet.
These symptoms do not automatically indicate prostate cancer.
However, changes in urinary function should still be discussed with a healthcare professional because similar symptoms can occur for several reasons.
There is currently no routine national prostate cancer screening programme using the prostate specific antigen test for all men in the UK.
A PSA blood test measures the amount of prostate specific antigen in the blood. Raised levels can occur because of prostate cancer, but they can also result from benign prostate enlargement, inflammation and other causes.
Equally, a PSA result within the expected range cannot completely exclude prostate cancer.
Testing therefore involves potential advantages and limitations. Men concerned about their prostate can discuss their individual risk and the appropriateness of PSA testing with their GP.
Family history is relevant. A man whose father or brother has had prostate cancer may have a higher risk, particularly when the relative was diagnosed at a younger age. Certain inherited genetic variants can also increase risk.
Rather than treating prostate testing as an automatic annual requirement, the more appropriate approach is an informed discussion based on age, symptoms and individual risk.
Treat changes in erectile function as a health check
Sexual health can provide useful information about wider physical and psychological wellbeing.
Occasional difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection is common and can occur because of stress, fatigue or excessive alcohol consumption.
Persistent erectile dysfunction deserves greater attention.
An erection depends on healthy blood flow, nerve function, hormonal signalling and psychological wellbeing. Recurrent problems can therefore sometimes be associated with conditions such as high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, diabetes, anxiety or depression.
This makes erectile dysfunction relevant beyond sexual performance.
When symptoms persist, a healthcare professional can consider possible contributing factors including cardiovascular health, medicines, lifestyle, hormonal conditions and psychological factors.
Treatment may also be appropriate after clinical assessment.
One established medicine used for erectile dysfunction is tadalafil, which belongs to a group of medicines known as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. It works by supporting increased blood flow to the penis in response to sexual stimulation.
Treatment is not suitable for everyone. In particular, tadalafil should not normally be taken alongside nitrate medicines used for conditions such as angina because the combination can cause a potentially dangerous fall in blood pressure.
Persistent erectile dysfunction should therefore not simply be accepted as an unavoidable consequence of getting older. It can provide an appropriate reason to review wider health while also discussing safe and suitable treatment options.
Take bowel cancer screening seriously
Cancer screening becomes increasingly important during later adulthood, even when there are no symptoms.
In England, people aged 50 to 74 are offered NHS bowel cancer screening every two years.
Screening uses a faecal immunochemical test, commonly known as a FIT. The test is completed at home using a small stool sample which is then returned for analysis.
It looks for small amounts of blood that may not be visible.
An abnormal result does not necessarily mean that someone has bowel cancer. Further investigation may be required to determine why blood was detected.
The value of screening lies in identifying potential problems before obvious symptoms develop. Bowel cancer detected at an earlier stage can generally be treated more effectively than disease identified after it has progressed.
Screening should not, however, be used as a reason to ignore symptoms between tests.
Persistent changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, unexplained abdominal symptoms or unexplained significant weight loss should be discussed with a healthcare professional regardless of when the last screening test was completed.
Do not miss abdominal aortic aneurysm screening at 65
There is another important screening programme specifically relevant to older men that receives considerably less public attention.
An abdominal aortic aneurysm occurs when part of the aorta, the body’s main artery, becomes enlarged.
A large aneurysm can rupture and cause life threatening internal bleeding. The condition may produce no symptoms before this occurs.
Men in England are therefore invited for abdominal aortic aneurysm screening during the year they turn 65.
The screening itself involves a simple ultrasound scan of the abdomen.
If the aorta is normal, another routine screening scan is generally not required. When an aneurysm is identified, monitoring or treatment depends on its size and individual clinical circumstances.
Men over 65 who have not previously been screened can contact the relevant screening service to ask about arranging an appointment.
Smoking is an important risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm, making the assessment particularly relevant to men with a history of tobacco use.
Maintain regular eye examinations
Some health checks take place outside the GP surgery.
Regular sight tests are important not only for determining whether glasses or contact lenses are required but also because an optometrist can identify signs of eye disease before significant symptoms appear.
Conditions such as glaucoma can damage vision gradually. Because early changes may not cause pain or obvious visual difficulties, waiting until eyesight noticeably deteriorates can delay diagnosis.
Most adults are advised to have their eyes tested approximately every two years unless an optometrist recommends more frequent assessment.
People with certain conditions may require closer monitoring. Diabetes, for example, can affect the blood vessels within the retina and is associated with a specific NHS diabetic eye screening programme.
Sudden changes in vision require a different approach from routine eye testing.
Sudden loss of vision, new flashing lights, a rapid increase in floaters or a dark shadow moving across the field of vision can require urgent assessment.
Regular eye examinations are preventive. Sudden visual changes should be treated as symptoms requiring prompt attention.
Keep dental checks in the wider health routine
Oral health should also form part of preventive healthcare.
Dental examinations assess more than tooth decay. Dentists also examine the gums, mouth and surrounding tissues and can identify problems that may not yet be causing pain.
The appropriate interval between dental checks depends on individual risk.
A person with healthy teeth and gums may not require an examination every six months, while someone with existing dental disease or a higher risk of future problems may need to attend more regularly.
The schedule should therefore be agreed with the dentist.
Changes within the mouth also deserve attention between routine appointments. Persistent ulcers, unexplained lumps or patches and other changes that do not resolve should be assessed.
Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can both adversely affect oral health as well as wider health, making the dental appointment another opportunity to consider broader risk factors.
Review mental health with the same seriousness as physical health
Not every important health assessment requires a machine, scan or blood test.
Men should periodically consider changes in mood, sleep, stress and psychological wellbeing with the same seriousness given to changes in physical function.
Depression does not always present as persistent sadness.
It can involve irritability, loss of interest, changes in sleep, reduced motivation, difficulty concentrating and withdrawal from activities or relationships.
Chronic stress can also affect sleep, alcohol consumption, physical activity and sexual function.
The important question is whether there has been a persistent change from normal that is affecting everyday life.
Seeking professional support should not be reserved for the point at which someone feels unable to cope. Earlier conversations with a GP or mental health professional can help identify appropriate support before problems become more severe.
Use family history as part of your health record
One of the most useful health checks requires no equipment at all.
Understanding family medical history can help identify conditions for which an individual may have an increased risk.
This is particularly relevant when close relatives have experienced cardiovascular disease at a relatively young age or have been diagnosed with conditions such as diabetes or certain cancers.
The age at which a relative developed a condition can be as important as the condition itself.
A father experiencing a heart attack at an unusually young age, for example, may be more clinically relevant than cardiovascular disease that first appeared very late in life.
Family history does not determine that someone will develop the same condition. It can, however, influence decisions about testing, screening and risk reduction.
Men should therefore make their GP aware of significant changes or discoveries within their family medical history.
Preventive health should change with age
There is no single set of medical tests that every man requires every year.
The appropriate approach changes throughout life.
Younger men should understand testicular health, sexual health and the importance of establishing healthy lifestyle habits. As cardiovascular risk increases with age, monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose becomes increasingly relevant.
Later adulthood brings additional considerations including bowel cancer screening, prostate health and abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.
Eye health, dental health and mental wellbeing remain relevant throughout.
The central principle is to avoid relying entirely on symptoms to determine whether health needs attention.
Some important conditions announce themselves clearly. Others remain silent until they have become considerably more difficult to manage.
Knowing which checks are appropriate, attending national screening programmes when invited and responding to meaningful changes in the body can therefore form an important part of maintaining health throughout adult life.
Preventive healthcare cannot eliminate every risk. It can, however, improve the likelihood that important problems are recognised at a stage when there are more opportunities to address them.