As male patients are being given false hope on prostate cancer, Louisa Peacock outlines how wives and girlfriends can help their male partners spot the disease.
Prostate cancer is very tricky to spot. In some cases, the symptoms may develop over a number of years. In other patients, by the time symptoms become noticeable, prostate cancer has already spread to their bones.
Most men with early prostate cancer do not have symptoms, the charity points out.
However, there are some warning signs for men, because men routinely risk their health by failing to go and see the doctor, their partners can often encourage them to go and get symptoms checked before it's too late.
Symptoms to look out for:
- Having to get up in the night several times to empty your bladder, which you wouldn't normally do
Symptoms to look out for:
- Having to get up in the night several times to empty your bladder, which you wouldn't normally do
- Having trouble starting to urinate
- Feeling as though the bladder isn't emptying properly
- Dribbling after urinating
Fear of the doctor
A recent study by the National Pharmacy Association showed that nearly nine in 10 men don't like to trouble a doctor unless they have a "serious problem". This reticence has largely been attributed to men’s fear of the doctor, (white coat syndrome) and male machismo.
Partners, wives or girlfriends of men should encourage their loved one to get checked if they notice any unusual bathroom habits.
Historically, women have usually been the custodians of health in the family. Mums, grandmothers, sisters, aunts – have typically been the ones to make their men visit health professionals and sort any kind of ill health out proactively.
Women can help men quell the irrational fear of going to the doctor, so they can seek help before it's too late.
Where prostate cancer has already spread to the bones, the symptoms can include long standing pain in one area, such as the back or pelvic bones.
However, this could be a sign of another illness, such as arthritis.
Blood in semen or in urine could indicate prostate or urine infection, or prostate cancer, he adds. Either way, you're advised to check it out.
- Feeling as though the bladder isn't emptying properly
- Dribbling after urinating
Fear of the doctor
A recent study by the National Pharmacy Association showed that nearly nine in 10 men don't like to trouble a doctor unless they have a "serious problem". This reticence has largely been attributed to men’s fear of the doctor, (white coat syndrome) and male machismo.
Partners, wives or girlfriends of men should encourage their loved one to get checked if they notice any unusual bathroom habits.
Historically, women have usually been the custodians of health in the family. Mums, grandmothers, sisters, aunts – have typically been the ones to make their men visit health professionals and sort any kind of ill health out proactively.
Women can help men quell the irrational fear of going to the doctor, so they can seek help before it's too late.
Where prostate cancer has already spread to the bones, the symptoms can include long standing pain in one area, such as the back or pelvic bones.
However, this could be a sign of another illness, such as arthritis.
Blood in semen or in urine could indicate prostate or urine infection, or prostate cancer, he adds. Either way, you're advised to check it out.
