Rowe - The Mens Health Book

Disclaimer

This book is designed to increase knowledge, awareness and understanding of mens health issues. It is not intended to replace the advice that your own doctor can give you. If you are concerned by any of the issues raised in this book make sure you consult your GP, who is there to help you.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information and material contained in this book, nevertheless it is possible that errors or omissions may occur in the content. The author and publishers assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up-to-date nature of the information provided in this book.

A Guide for the Irish Man

Dr Mark Rowe

Blackball Publishing

Lonsdale House

Avoca Avenue

Blackrock

Co. Dublin

Ireland

e-mail: info@blackhallpublishing.com

www.blackhallpublishing.com

Mark Rowe, 2009

Paperback ISBN 978-1-84218-165-2

ePub ISBN 978-1-909518-93-3

Kindle ISBN 978-1-909518-94-0

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior, written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publishers prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

I dedicate this book to Edel and our children Malcolm, Tony and Lydia.

I also dedicate it to my late father, Brendan Rowe, who inspired me to write it.

Finally, I dedicate this book to the many heroes out there who work hard on a daily basis to make a difference to the lives of others.

Dr Mark Rowe Biographical Information

Mark Rowe is a General Practitioner with a special interest in mens health. He graduated from UCD Medical School in 1991 and went on to specialise in family practice and became a qualified member of the Irish College of General Practitioners in 1995, achieving the first place Ellerd Eppel award. Since then he has practised as a GP in Waterford City. He also runs a mens health programme at the Waterford Health Park where his practice is based.

He is a trainer with the South-East GP Training Programme. He is also an examiner with the Irish College of General Practitioners. Dr Rowe has published a number of national guidelines and articles in the Irish College of General Practitioners journal, Forum.

He has given seminars and has acted as guest speaker on the topic of mens health at a number of events.

He ran the New York Marathon in 2007 and fundraised for two charities. His current research interest is in the area of generative space, which means that by providing inspiring surroundings in the primary healthcare setting you can enhance the esteem and feel-good factor of both patients and staff, with resultant long-term health improvements.

Acknowledgements

It is with deep gratitude that I express my appreciation to the following for their contributions to the Mens Health Book:

• To my patients, whom I am privileged to serve on a daily basis. Also to my colleagues and staff, who assist in that care.
• To all the team at Blackhall Publishing: to Elizabeth Brennan for her initial encouragement and to Eileen OBrien, who reviewed the chapters, set deadlines and suggested improvements.
• To Richard Murphy for his creativity, which is evident in the illustrations throughout the book.
• Finally, to my dear wife Edel, for her help, support and encouragement in this, as in all things.

Health is the crown on a well mans head that only the sick man can see.

Anonymous

Preface

We live in the rapidly moving information age, with the latest news, traffic, weather and sport only a finger-tip or text message away. The same applies to information on health, yet, as the saying goes, you can take a horse to water, but you cant make him drink.

As a family doctor with a special interest in mens health. I am aware of the large gap that exists in many cases between Irish men and good health. Indeed, this gap is widening all the time with more and more men succumbing to largely preventable illnesses, often with tragic consequences.

Hence the idea for this book, the aim of which is to simply help bridge the gap in knowledge that sometimes exists on the ground, as well as challenge the prevailing attitudes to healthcare among Irish men. As a family doctor working in a busy city practice I am well aware of the natural reluctance of many Irish men to access healthcare, except in an emergency. Of course none of the information in this book is designed to replace the one-to-one relationship with your doctor. However, I also know from experience that many Irish men dont have a doctor, or at least one they know well enough!

For the Irish man who takes the time and effort to read any, part, or all of this book, I hope it will help give you the confidence to approach your family doctor if and when necessary. I also hope you will understand better the importance of proactively managing your health, just as you would service your own car. The important message is that you can take control of your health and improve it significantly. Prevention is, after all, much better than cure. As they say, a stitch in time saves nine.

Of course mens health affects all of us, not just men. For the women who have fathers, brothers, sons, partners or friends, mens health issues are important for you too. As men we have a responsibility to nurture that gift of good health and to keep ourselves well. This means we need to be willing to change, to accept help, to re-adjust the speedometer and to get a regular service too.

This book is in many ways the product of the current knowledge, thinking and understanding in healthcare of mens health issues. In this regard I am grateful for and wish to acknowledge my medical colleagues worldwide, whose wisdom, experience and research has brought medicine to where it is today. And still the journey of exploration continues. The one certainty in healthcare is that the only constant is change. This means that new, pioneering breakthroughs can become established best practice and replace existing treatments. But the foundations of good health, including a healthy diet and lifestyle with plenty of exercise, remain constant. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

As a doctor I can appreciate every day just how wonderful the gift of good health is. All parents have a tremendous opportunity to help nurture their children, who will become the men and women of tomorrow. Leading by example can help children to model their behaviour on ours so that healthy habits learned young can be engrained for ever. This applies to exercise, diet and a whole range of physical and mental health and lifestyle issues.

I hope that this book will give men the knowledge, confidence and courage to take control of their own health and not become another statistic. Men owe this to the mothers who reared them, to the partners who take care of and worry about them and to the children who depend on them. But, most importantly of all, men owe it to themselves.