6 Health Screenings Every Man Should Have on His Radar

Not to bro out on you, but, dude, you might be among the group of guys who aren’t talking about their health, getting proper screening, or seeking support when necessary.

According to a survey by Cleveland Clinic, more than half of men just don’t discuss their health with anyone—period, end of story. And while plenty of the participants said they’d be fine talking with friends or partners about sports, work, or pretty much anything else, only seven percent were willing to get personal about their health with other guys (and no, your max deadlift weight doesn’t count).

“I do think men sometimes have an idea that, ‘I’m fine, if something were wrong, I’d tough it out and be okay, and they can tend to be more nonchalant,” says New York physician Navya Mysore. “I see so many women who come in talking about how they’re taking their health in their own hands and starting fresh, and I very rarely hear that from guys.”

The truth is, you may not be getting the health care you need, despite an increased risk for a long list of serious issues. According to this 2010 Harvard study, men are more likely to develop chronic illnesses than women, and mortality rates are higher in men in eight out of 10 leading causes of death in America, like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

While there are a lot of contributing factors when it comes to these types of ailments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) makes it clear that chronic illnesses are “among the most preventable.” That means early detection and proper health management can go a long way in keeping you healthy. And knowing the types of screenings you need and when to get them can play a big part in helping manage major issues down the line.

1. Colon cancer

Perhaps one of the most feared words in a grown man’s vocabulary: Colonoscopy. “A lot of men assume they’re going to go into the doctor’s office, be put on a table and get a scope put up their butt,” says Mysore. “It doesn’t happen like that!”

While colon cancer screening is critical for anyone between the ages of 50 to 75 (45 to 75 according to brand new recommendations from the American Cancer Society), men (and women!) have options around testing. “There are three different ways of approaching colon cancer screening; it isn’t always necessary to get a colonoscopy,” says Mysore.

Mysore explained: “For someone who’s low risk and super petrified of the idea of a colonoscopy, one option may be a stool test which has to be repeated every year and kept up with as a measure of screening. There’s also a flexible sigmoidoscopy, which is a shorter version of the colonoscopy—it doesn’t go fully into the large intestine. That should be repeated every five years.”

If  your doctor determines that a colonoscopy is the way to go, the standard recommendation is that you will only need to undergo the procedure once every 10 years, unless you have a first-degree relative who had colon cancer. “At that point, you’d start screening 10 years before that person’s age of diagnosis,” says Mysore. “So if your father was diagnosed at 45, you start screening at 35. If there’s a strong family history, then screening is more often than every 10 years—about every three to five years.”  

2. Blood sugar and cholesterol

It’s a good idea to work with your doctor to figure out a testing schedule that makes sense for you when it comes to blood sugar and cholesterol testing. The United States Preventive Screening Task Force (USPSTF) says people between the ages of 40 to 70 years who are overweight or obese should regularly be screened for type 2 diabetes every three years. When it comes to cholesterol, the organization strongly recommends screening men 35 years and older for lipid disorders, and even recommends screening men between the ages of 20 to 35 years of age for lipid disorders if they’re at increased risk of coronary heart disease.

“Someone who’s overweight, has certain lifestyle factors, or a strong family history—they want to be screened on a yearly basis,” says Mysore.

3. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)

It’s not a test you typically hear about, but the USPSTF recommends screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is important for anyone between the ages of 65 and 75 who’s ever smoked. The aorta is the major blood vessel that supplies the majority of blood to the body. If it becomes enlarged (factors like tobacco use, high blood pressure, heredity, and more all play a role), it can rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding.

“It’s a one-time abdominal ultrasound,” says Mysore. “They don’t specify how heavy a smoker the person has to be, so it’s a conversation to have with the patient. I think if that person had an established heavy history, it’s valid to get screened.”

4. Prostate cancer

While you may dread the possibility of a prostate exam at your annual appointment, some experts say that the need for testing varies, and invasive exams may not even be right for everyone. Just last month, the USPSTF released a recommendation stating that men age 55 and over should make an individual decision about whether or not to be screened after a conversation with their doctor about the possible pros and cons.

There are actually two types of tests to screen for prostate cancer: The digital rectal exam, which involves a physical exam, and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, which measures the level of a specific substance in the blood.

“It’s been on again and off again whether we should do the PSA test, and if we do it, whether we also do the prostate exam,” says Mysore. “It should be a discussion with the patient—men shouldn’t be afraid or nervous that they’re going to come in and have it every time they come in for annual check-up, because that’s not necessarily the case.” There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to determining whether prostate screening is right, so you should have a frank conversation with your doctor.

“The PSA in general can often come up with false positives, and because of that, it can create a ton of anxiety and it can lead to other unnecessary procedures,” explains Mysore. “It very much depends on the provider, the relationship with the patient, and the history itself.”

5. Blood pressure

According to the USPSTF, regular blood pressure screening is a must for all adults because staying on top of the numbers can substantially reduces the incidence of cardiovascular problems.

“I generally screen for it every year in older men and women,” says Mysore. “Different medical groups assign different guidelines for this. For the most part, providers are checking at least once a year in every individual over 18, and absolutely for sure in someone 40 and older.”

6. Lung cancer

This one may not apply to everyone, but if you are or have been a heavy smoker, some experts now believe lung cancer screening is worth considering. The USPSTF recommends annual screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in adults between the ages of 55 to 80 years old who have a “30 pack-year smoking history” and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

“That means it could be either one pack every day for 30 years or two packs every day for 15 years,” says Mysore. “And however you add it up, it doesn’t have to be consecutive—if it works out to 30 years, that’s considered a good enough reason to be screened. It used to be controversial because it is radiation and you have to think about how much benefit you’re getting from screening versus the harm of radiation.”

Now that some experts agree the test is worth it for certain individuals, the USPSTF recommendation states that screening should be discontinued once a person hasn’t smoked for 15 years or develops a health problem that cancels out the benefits of the screening.

Bottom line: Having a conversation with your doc about the screenings that could potentially save your life doesn’t make you less of a man. Get out there and start talking about your health, tough guy!