Urologist urges Jamaican men to start routine health checks early

Consultant urologist Dr. Lorna Vass is encouraging Jamaican men to treat routine medical visits as a normal part of protecting their health, warning that waiting until a crisis can leave serious conditions harder to manage.

Speaking during a televised health discussion for Men’s Health Month in June, Vass said many men are raised to hide pain, avoid complaints and project toughness. That attitude, she said, can make some men delay visits to a general practitioner or urologist until symptoms become severe.

She said stigma remains especially strong around urinary, prostate and sexual health concerns. Some men also avoid prostate screening because a digital rectal examination may feel embarrassing or intrusive. Vass stressed, however, that the examination remains an important tool in checking for prostate cancer.

Vass said men should not assume they are healthy simply because they feel well. Many illnesses, she noted, may show no obvious signs in the early stages, which is when treatment is often most effective. She recommended that men who consider themselves healthy still do a general check-up about once each year, including blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol and an executive profile with a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test.

For prostate cancer screening, Vass said the current recommendation is to begin PSA testing at age 40, especially for men with a family history involving a father or brother. She described prostate cancer as the leading cancer in men and a major cause of death, and said colon cancer screening should begin around age 45.

Warning signs that should prompt medical attention include trouble passing urine, a delayed start when urinating, a weak stream, blood in the urine, unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite. Vass also said erectile dysfunction should not be dismissed, as it may point to other health risks, including possible heart concerns or hormone problems.

She urged men to begin with simple habits this week: walk for about 30 minutes three to five times weekly, stop smoking, and book the check-up they have been putting off.