What are the preventive health check-up items for men?

There is no unified standardized list for men’s preventive health examination. The core is basic general items combined with personalized screening items based on age, living habits, and family history. There is no need to be expensive, and don’t copy other people’s lists. I have been conducting medical examinations in public medical examination centers for almost 8 years, and I have encountered too many male friends who have made mistakes.

I just accompanied my 38-year-old Fa Xiao for his annual physical examination last week. He works in sales and stays up late all the time to accompany his clients. He smokes at least half a pack a day and drinks beer every day. In the past two years, he did not take it seriously when he found high uric acid in his physical examination. Last month, he suffered from gout and his feet were so swollen that he couldn't wear shoes. This time he refused to do anything but just do the basic package and took the initiative to add several targeted items.

In fact, many men have misunderstandings about physical examinations. They either don’t need to check if they don’t feel uncomfortable, or they just take a chest X-ray and draw blood and think it’s over. However, they don’t know that many problems have no symptoms at all in the early stage. When they feel pain and itching, they often postpone the examination for a long time. The basic items seem simple but are actually very useful, such as height and weight, blood pressure, blood and urine routine, liver and kidney function, electrocardiogram, etc. I have met several young men in their early 30s who usually feel nothing. The physical test showed that the blood pressure soared to 145/90. Only then did I realize that the occasional headaches before were not because they did not sleep enough, but because their blood pressure had already turned on the red light.

For young men in their 20s who have just entered the society, don’t just eat and drink and stay up late just because you are young. In addition to the basics, it is best to add two and a half hepatitis B tests. If you often eat out and order takeaways, it is not a bad idea to check for Helicobacter pylori. There was a 22-year-old child who had just graduated from work before and was found to have three positives of hepatitis B without knowing it. If found early and intervened, the probability of developing liver cirrhosis can be greatly reduced.

At the age of 30 to 40, most people are burdened with the dual pressure of family and work. They have more social activities and less exercise. They don't take it seriously when their belly grows day by day. In addition to basic liver and kidney functions, it is best to arrange for blood uric acid, blood lipids, and carotid artery ultrasound. If you smoke all year round, don't use chest X-rays to make up for it. Instead, switch to low-dose spiral CT and get screened early. The sensitivity of lung cancer is much higher than that of chest X-rays. There used to be a 39-year-old smoker, and his chest X-rays every year were normal. Last year, he coughed for more than a month and did not get better. A CT scan revealed an 8mm lung nodule. Pathology showed that it was early cancer. If it was removed, it would be fine. If we still rely on chest X-ray screening, it is most likely to be in the middle and late stages by the time it can be taken. If you often sit for long periods of time and have frequent and urgent urination, don't be embarrassed if you add a prostate ultrasound. Many problems can be alleviated by early detection and adjustment of living habits, and there is no need to delay taking medicine and surgery.

After the age of 40, screening needs to be more targeted. Don’t forget about prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Many people find it embarrassing to check the prostate, and it is awkward when taking samples. They have avoided this test for several years. I have met a 52-year-old uncle before who skipped PSA for physical examinations for three consecutive years. Last year, he came to check because he couldn’t bear the pain when urinating. The PSA index exceeded the standard several times. Prostate cancer was diagnosed through puncture. Fortunately, it did not metastasize. If it had been detected two years earlier, the intervention effect would have been much better. In addition, regardless of whether you have gastrointestinal discomfort or not, it is best to have a gastrointestinal endoscopy every 3 to 5 years if you are over 40 years old. If you have a family history of intestinal cancer or gastrointestinal polyps, you should do it before the age of 35. My uncle, who was 45 years old, had a routine gastrointestinal endoscopy with the mentality of "checking and playing". An adenomatous polyp was found and was directly removed under the microscope. The doctor said that if it takes another three to five years, it may become malignant.

By the way, many physical examination centers now love to promote the "complete set of tumor markers". The industry actually has different views on this. One group thinks that more examinations can always cover it, and early detection is better.； The other group believes that many tumor markers are not very specific, and a slightly higher level will only increase anxiety. Even if the indicators are normal, the diagnosis may be missed, which makes people take it lightly. In fact, there is really no need to pursue a "complete set". If you have a family history of liver cancer, focus on checking for alpha-fetoprotein. If you have a family history of prostate cancer, keep an eye on PSA. It is enough to choose according to your needs. It will be a waste of money if you don't talk about it.

To put it bluntly, there is really no fixed list of must-dos for men’s physical examinations. What suits you is the best. Pay more attention to your body’s signals, don’t force yourself to do it, and choose items based on the actual situation. It is much better than running to the hospital when there is a real problem, don’t you think?