Men’s Health

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Men and women are more prone to certain diseases based on a number of variables. Dr. Barley provides annual physicals as a form of preventive medicine to help reduce the risk of illness and to treat any symptoms in their earliest stages. Many illnesses and diseases that commonly affect men are treated and can even be prevented through physicals, annual blood tests, and other routine checkups that can provide insight on any abnormal symptoms. A man’s health can be analyzed through his medical history, family medical history, and current health factors like cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and more.

What are the top health concerns for men?

The most dangerous illness for men in the United States is heart disease. Other health concerns include prostate cancer, diabetes, and sexual health problems. Early detection of a disease enables Dr. Barley to more efficiently create a treatment plan. Illnesses that are detected quickly usually experience a higher level of treatability. Early detection also leaves Dr. Barley ample time to refer you to a top leading specialist or physician.

Heart Disease in men

Heart disease is a name given to conditions that compromise the functionality of the heart, its veins or vessels, valves, or pathways. Heart disease is a dangerous condition when left untreated. However, it can be prevented and treated. Dr. Barley can conduct routine physical exams that can detect any symptoms of heart disease like angina, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or other symptoms. Many diseases, if caught early, experience a higher level of treatability.

In the case of heart disease, preventive medicine is the most successful treatment. A proper diet with regular exercise can dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease in men. Despite this, some men and women are at a higher risk for heart disease due to their family’s medical history and personal medical history. In most cases, proper diet, exercise, and routine physicals with Dr. Barley can help reduce the risk of heart disease in men.

Heart disease includes:

• Heart failure
• Coronary artery disease
• Cardiomyopathy
• Irregular heartbeat
• Blood clots
• Structural problems
• Cardiac arrest
• High blood pressure
• Stroke

Prostate Cancer

Your prostate is a gland that is found in the front of the rectum and below the bladder. Prostate cancer is denoted when the cells of your prostate gland begin to multiply rapidly while old cells do not die. This proliferation of cells begins to form a cancerous tumor. The majority of prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas, which means that they develop from the gland cells that are responsible for creating fluid that is later added to your semen.

Other prostate cancers include sarcomas, neuroendocrine tumors, transitional cell carcinomas, and small cell carcinomas. These forms of prostate cancer are quite rare. Cancer screenings such as a prostate exam can help detect the early signs of prostate cancer. If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, Dr. Barley can help coordinate your treatment and refer you to one of the most respected physicians.

Diabetes in men

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that hinders your body’s ability to produce a sufficient amount of insulin. Diabetes results in high levels of glucose in your blood. When you eat, your body turns food into sugar. After your body has turned your food to glucose, your pancreas should release insulin, which enables your body to use sugar for energy. This system becomes nonfunctional if you have diabetes. Diabetes can also lead to other health complications such as blindness, kidney failure, heart failure, stroke, and even the need for amputations.

There are two types of diabetes that are simply named Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 is defined as when your body’s immune system attacks your pancreas. Type 2 is when your body produces insulin but not enough to fuel your bodily functions. Dr. Barley can test for diabetes with a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test to determine the amount of sugar in your blood after not eating for at least 8 hours. This diabetes test can detect if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes and allow Dr. Barley to plan your treatment accordingly.

Male sexual health

With age, some men may experience sexual health problems including low testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction, or even sexually transmitted diseases. A sexual dysfunction or health concern refers to any issue or symptom that interrupts the normal sexual response cycle. Some forms of sexual health problems such as STDs are preventable, and the majority of sexual dysfunctions are treatable.

Testosterone is a hormone that is directly tied to a man’s libido. Low testosterone levels can cause symptoms such as fatigue, depression, and even a loss of sexual desire. At age 30, it is not uncommon for men to experience a gradual decline in testosterone levels. Dr. Barley can check your testosterone levels through a testosterone blood test. If your testosterone levels are low, Dr. Barley may order additional testing in order to properly diagnose you.

Low testosterone levels can be caused by:

• Testicular trauma
• Testicular cancer
• Hormonal disorders
• STDs
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease

Another cause for a low libido is erectile dysfunction, which is defined as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection. It is not uncommon for a man to periodically experience trouble achieving or maintaining an erection, but if the problem is ongoing or persistent, Dr. Barley can help create an effective treatment regimen. Dr. Barley can test for erectile dysfunction with a simple physical examination. Further erectile dysfunction testing may include blood tests, ultrasounds, or a urinalysis.

Another main concern for men is sexually transmitted diseases. There are a wide variety of STDs including herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, AIDS, genital warts, and more. STDs are preventable through practicing safe sex using contraception. Dr. Barley provides STD testing in his internal medicine office and can accurately diagnose all sexually transmitted diseases. Dr. Barley’s ultimate goal is to properly diagnose you as quickly as possible and refer you to a leading specialist or physician.

What health screening options are there?

Cancer is one of the most dangerous medical conditions among both men and women. The risk of cancer is increased if you are overweight, smoke, use tobacco products, drink alcohol in excess, or have a family history of cancer. Routine cancer screenings in NYC can help detect many forms of cancer in their earliest stages. Dr. Barley can test for the early stages of lung cancer, prostate cancer, and other forms of cancers or growths with sonography and his in-house medical lab. With routine testing, Dr. Barley is able to catch a serious illness like cancer in its beginning stages and treat it before it worsens or spreads.

Why choose Dr. Barley?

Dr. Barley is a well-respected internist in NYC that has extensive connections with the best oncologists, physicians, and surgeons. If Dr. Barley detects a medical condition such as cancer and he feels you may benefit from seeing another physician, he can refer you to a leading specialist and can even help schedule an appointment the following day. Dr. Barley also offers a variety of on-site screening and testing with same day results from his in-house medical lab.

How can I learn more about men’s health?

Dr. Barley would gladly discuss any questions or concerns regarding our men’s health services. Dr. Barley, a top physician in NYC, can help treat your symptoms and illnesses, but Dr. Barley can also refer you to another leading physician or specialist if he feels your case would benefit from it. To learn more, please schedule an appointment online or call 212.758.3590.