We offer a range of clinics and services to support men’s health and to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
One in five men in the UK dies before the age of 65 – many from preventable illnesses such as heart disease. Men are sometimes reluctant to talk about or seek help for health concerns or issues.
The NHS Health Check is an opportunity to get a free midlife MOT. For adults in England aged 40-74 without a pre-existing condition, it helps spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia.
Eligible patients will receive an invitation to get checked by their GP every five years. It’s important to take this up.
Top Health Tips for Men:
Get informed:
Be knowledgeable about your health and don’t ignore symptoms or complaints.
Vary your workouts:
The body gets very comfortable when you always do the same workout. Vary your exercises – with an age-appropriate mix of aerobics, muscle training and stretching.
Eat to thrive:
Getting enough nutrition is crucial. Focus on nutrients rather than calories and eat a variety of healthy foods.
Prioritise sleep:
Get at least seven hours.
Check your head:
Mental health is really, really important. Think about several things: Are you drinking too much? Are you paying attention to signs of depression or bipolar disorder, which often get missed? If you have a family history of mental illness, suicide, and/or substance abuse, you really need someone to help you review the signs and symptoms.
Stay ready for sex:
When you’re stressed out, not sleeping, or drinking too much, you can’t get an erection on demand, and a man’s erection is a barometer for overall health. Exercising, eating well, and sleeping well contribute to a healthy sex life.
Care for your prostate:
The prostate grows as you get older. You’ll almost certainly have symptoms, like urinary problems. A really healthy, low-fat diet will reduce the likelihood of prostate growth and may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Enjoy yourself:
Look forward to every day, to doing something for yourself every day, whether it’s a run or listening to an audiobook or practicing meditation or yoga. Don’t save up all of your fun for your holiday.
Find a doctor:
Choose one you’re comfortable with, so you can openly discuss all aspects of your health.
Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction means being unable to get erections for enough time to have penetrative sexual intercourse, it used to be called impotence. It is a common condition that often comes and goes and can affect men of any age. Here is a link to a very useful explanation of common causes and treatment options:
It is important to note that there are often lifestyle and psychological aspects that need to be considered.
You can also discuss this problem with a community pharmacist (ie Boots, Well etc) they are able to have a conversation with you and, if felt appropriate sell you medication that may help. They will also direct you back to your GP if they have any concerns.
We would not recommend buying medications for this problem off the internet without a consultation with a health care provider.
PSA Testing
You have been directed to this link having made an enquiry about having a PSA blood test.
If you haven’t made an enquiry, please feel free to read the information below and get in touch if you would like to take it further.
Please read the information below to help explain and inform you about the role of PSA testing:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/psa-test
If you would like to proceed with the test (as long as you have already contacted us through an online consultation and been directed to this link) you can now attend the Future Inn hotel community blood taking service:
https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/phlebotomy
The results of the test will then be available via the NHS App after about a week.
It is vital that even if your test is normal that you recontact us via System Connect as it is likely that further conversation and a physical examination is required.
If you have additional questions or queries prior to having the blood test please feel free to get back in touch with us via this link:
https://systmonline.tpp-uk.com/2/OnlineConsultation?OrgId=L83100
Regards
Beacon Medical Group Clinical Team
It is important to note that there is not a specific one off blood test for prostate cancer, assessing your risk is a combination of taking account of your symptoms, often a blood test and usually an examination, this is something your GP will be able to discuss in more detail.
Also there is not a ‘screening’ program for prostate cancer, unlike with breast and cervical cancers, this is because there is not a reliable enough test to allow this to happen, more information about this can be found here:
Sexual Health
If you are entering into a new sexual relationship it is important to consider your sexual health. You can have a sexually transmitted infection any have very few, if any symptoms. There are potential long term implications to fertility by leaving these untreated. At the surgery we are able to undertake some elements of assessment of potential sexually transmitted infection however we would recommend using SHiP (sexual health in Plymouth) a free NHS service that can effectively asses all elements of your risk of sexually transmitted infections:
Testicular Problems
Finding a lump in your scrotum is an alarming event. Fortunately the vast majority of lumps that people notice are not concerning and often parts of normal anatomy. However testicular cancer is a very serious illness and any new lumps or changes that you notice should be discussed with your GP. This is likely to involve having an examination, this is not a painful process and involves gently assessing the lump to see if it needs more investigation.
Fertility
Trying to get pregnant can become a stressful process, fortunately 90% of couple conceive within the first year of trying. Then of the remaining 10% that haven’t conceived 90% of them will conceive within the second year of trying.
The best advice with regards to trying to get pregnant is to aim to have sex about twice a week on average.
We would suggest that after a year of trying without success it is sensible to make contact with a GP to discuss the situation. If you or your partner have had previous issues with your testicles or concerns about your sexual health then it is reasonable to have a discussion before this.
Getting pregnant involves two people, from a practical point of view it is sensible that both partners are registered with the same GP surgery if at all possible.
It would be very unusual for any testing of fertility to be undertaken unless you were actively trying to get pregnant.