June is National Men’s Health Month, recognized every year to help raise awareness for health-related issues and topics important to men of all ages. It is a great reminder for all men (and those who love them!) to make their health and well-being a top priority.
From screenings to wellness checks to implementing healthy changes to help you feel your best, Southcoast Health is here for you with the care, support and resources you need to be your healthiest self.
Men’s Health Patient Stories
George Washburn… Enjoying Every Minute
George’s Story
George Washburn is 86 years old. He prides himself as an active man who still enjoys his commercial painting job. He is a happy fellow who eagerly expresses gratitude for his life on the South Coast, his wife and two grown children. “My life is complete!” says George with a chuckle – but there was point in time when he wondered if he would someday feel this way. Continue reading…
Robotic Surgery with a Personal Touch
Butch’s Story
Butch developed abdominal pain that led him to the Emergency Department at St. Luke’s Hospital. His care team confirmed that his gallbladder needed to be removed, but also discovered a questionable spot on his kidney that needed to be assessed right away. Continue reading…
Learn about Don’s knee replacement surgery experience and how it helped him to get to where he can do anything he wants again.
Screenings
Annual screenings are a key defense in the fight against cancer. Early detection means earlier treatment and improved outcomes:
Prostate Cancer Screenings
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer affecting American men after skin cancer. In the United States, it affects one in seven men at some point during their lifetime. While prostate cancer is a serious disease, its prognosis is often more positive than other cancers.
Early detection is key to a healthy recovery. Southcoast Health provides various prostate cancer screening tests that will check for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in your blood. The results of these tests can help you, and your provider assesses your current risks for prostate cancer and come up with the best treatment plan if cancer is present.
Lung Cancer Screenings
Lung cancer is one of the major causes of death in the United States. Luckily, when found early, lung cancer is treatable. Lung cancer screenings are currently the most commonly performed preventative screening tests. At Southcoast Health, we offer lung cancer screenings as a part of our health care screening services to detect and treat this disease.
Colorectal Cancer Screenings
Colon cancer (or colorectal cancer) is the third most common cancer after skin cancer in both men and women. The average American has about a 5% risk of developing colon cancer during their lifetime.
Catching colon cancer early offers the best chance of a cure. Current treatments are more effective than ever — more than one million Americans are colon cancer survivors. Protect your colon health or find dependable treatment for colon cancer in Fall River, Fairhaven at the Southcoast Health Cancer Centers.
Your Heart Health
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States. Sometimes heart disease may be “silent” and undiagnosed until a man experiences signs or symptoms of a heart attack, arrhythmia or heart failure.
Our world-class Cardiovascular Center has earned national recognition for cardiovascular excellence, providing specialized services and treatments for all your heart needs.
Take our Coronary Artery Disease Health Risk Assessment to mitigate the risk of heart disease.
Staying Healthy and Active
Weight Loss Programs
Maintaining a healthy weight decreases the risk of chronic health conditions associated with obesity, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
The Southcoast Health Weight Loss Center offers both surgical and non-surgical weight loss programs and a comprehensive team of specialists to guide and support you every step of the way with a plan customized for you and your goals.
Orthopedics
Staying active is an important step towards living a healthy lifestyle. If arthritis, knee or joint pain is preventing you from living an active life, we have the surgical and non-surgical options to help.
Sports Injuries
Most sports injuries are due to either injury or overuse of muscles or joints. Most are caused by minor injuries involving muscles, ligaments, tendons, or bones.
At Southcoast Health, we are passionate about keeping our community healthy and active. We do that by helping prevent and treat sports injuries in Fall River, Dartmouth, New Bedford and Wareham.
Essential Care Tailored for You
Primary Care
A trusted partnership and regular visits with your Primary Care Provider is a proactive step for better management of your health. Visit Find a Doc to meet our hundreds of Primary Care Physicians, Specialists and Advanced Practice Professionals and to find the right provider for you.
Urgent Care
When non-emergency illness or injuries strike, Southcoast Health Urgent Care provides quick and convenient medical care that you and your family need to feel better fast.
Additional Topics:
Mental Health
Mental illness is a difficult challenge for anyone to face. It can affect men and women of any age. But mental illness can cause different symptoms in men than in women. Some disorders in men may be harder to recognize. Men who are depressed, for example, may seem angry and grouchy rather than sad and withdrawn. It also may be harder for men with depression to get help. Some may see it as a sign of weakness.
We encourage you to speak with your Southcoast Health primary care provider to recommend an appropriate mental health specialist or treatment options.
Heartburn and Reflux Center
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a digestive disorder caused when gastric acid from your stomach flows back up into your food pipe (esophagus).
Heartburn is the most common symptom of GERD.
Up to 1 in 5 U.S. adults suffer from GERD. Millions of patients rely on medications to treat the disease. They do not address the mechanical cause of GERD, a weak sphincter muscle. Approximately 40% of sufferers continue to suffer symptoms while taking medications. Southcoast’s Heartburn and Reflux Center, the only one of its kind south of Boston performing advanced procedures via new technology, can help.
GERD can lead to serious complications. If left untreated it can result in pre-cancerous changes called Barrett’s esophagus or adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body has high sugar levels for prolonged periods.
Catching diabetes early through a screening lets you take steps to stop or slow the development of the disease and its complications.
According to the CDC, “As a guy, you’re more likely to get type 2 diabetes at a lower weight than women. One reason is that men store more fat in their bellies – a known risk factor. And more men than women have diabetes that’s undiagnosed; maybe it’s that ‘don’t want to hear bad news’ thing.
“Diabetes puts both men and women at greater risk for heart disease, stroke, vision loss, kidney failure, even amputation of a toe, foot, or leg. But some diabetes problems hit guys directly below the belt.”
Talk with Your Healthcare Provider
If you have questions about any of the topics covered on this page, visit our Health Library to learn more about health conditions of concern to men. Or talk with your healthcare provider for screenings, additional information and resources.