Iredell County, NC — “I’m not sick, so I don’t need a doctor.” “I don’t want to talk about my health.” “I’m just going to man up.”
Do any of these phrases sound familiar? Keep reading.
This Men’s Health Month, Anthony Elkins, FACOFP, Family Medicine Physician at Iredell Primary Care, discusses how a relationship with your provider can help men live longer and stronger.
“There’s a common philosophy that men are sometimes told to ‘man up’, right?,” explained Elkins. “If you’re having pain or emotional issues, you’re told to just keep it inside and deal with it. Nowadays, there’s a change in how we take care of men. It’s okay to talk about your mental health. It’s okay to be depressed. It’s okay to not be okay.”
Elkins emphasizes the importance of a relationship with your family doctor.
“It’s okay to see a doctor to talk about any of those concerns. You have to have a family doctor that you have a good relationship with, and that you feel comfortable talking to. It’s not just about when you have a broken bone or when you have a sore throat.”
Many individuals would rather “Google” their symptoms or ask for advice on social media to diagnose themselves when they start feeling under the weather, but studies show these search engine diagnoses are only accurate about 50% of the time.
“Dr. Google can’t examine you and does not know your family history. It doesn’t take your values or daily activities into account.”
It’s beneficial for men to routinely visit their doctor to avoid future concerns that could impact their overall health.
“I generally recommend that my patients come in once a year for an annual checkup. We’ll focus on heart health, emotional health, screening tests along with other things to keep you healthy. Folks who have medical conditions like heart disease or diabetes may come in more often based on how intensively we have to treat them.”
