Men are burying their heads in the sand when it comes to red flag warning signs, says a leading doctor. Just six in 100 would suspect they might have diabetes for example, according to new stats released.
Extreme fatigue, an urge to urinate frequently and a dry mouth are common signs of the condition which affects more than five million Brits – yet most men wouldn’t make the connection. Leading private healthcare clinic, Pall Mall, has released the shock data to raise awareness and highlight the level of men’s ignorance when it comes to their health.
“Men are notorious for neglecting their health,” said medical director Dr Chun Tang.
“Unfortunately for many males, it’s much a case of burying heads in the sand when it comes to self-care, and it is commonplace that they ignore the red flag warning signs in regard to their health.
“If diabetes symptoms are detected early, the condition may be managed with meds and can even be reversed with lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet and regular exercise,” added Dr Tang.
“However, if type 2 goes undiagnosed for years it can lead to extremely serious health consequences including the loss of limbs and even death.”
Dr Tang and the team at Pall Mall commissioned the survey by Onepoll who quizzed 1,000 men from 18 to 65 and over on various health issues.
Findings also revealed almost two thirds of men wouldn’t realise something is seriously wrong with their health even if they stopped breathing. 61% would be clueless they could be in danger if they no longer took in air, shock figures highlighted.
Asked what physical signs might point to a serious health issue, only 39% agreed ‘if it stopped me from breathing’.
Stats additionally found 84% of blokes confessed to not managing their health well. Just a measly 16% stated they look after themselves, the survey found.
“Our survey reveals just how many risk being left in health’s last-chance saloon,” added Dr Tang.
Findings also showed 69% would not recognise if they were having a stroke and 61% don’t know the symptoms of a heart attack.
Meanwhile, 83% of men have not got the foresight to getting a lump checked out, which can be an obvious sign of cancer. Seventy percent wouldn’t even bother seeking medical advice if a partner or spouse convinced them they should.
And when it comes to matters of the mind, 85% would be unaware they had a problem with their mental health.
“It’s certainly a concern that men are so in the dark about both physical and mental well-being,” added Dr Tang.
“The earlier you get something checked out, the sooner something can be done about it.”
