Men’s health is a speciality that has just recently started to get recognition in the larger medical community. In addressing the whole range of men’s health issues, doctors have an opportunity to create a new standard thanks to recent trends and breakthroughs.
Discover how the field of men’s health has changed recently and how you might further your career in these areas.
Beyond Testosterone: A Novel Chapter in the Health of Men
Men’s health has not been quickly accepted by traditional medicine as a separate speciality, despite the fact that there are known differences in men’s and women’s health outcomes and mounting evidence that a gender-specific approach to treatment is necessary.
This has led to an increase in men’s health clinics that accept cash payments and treat patients with low testosterone, or “low T.” These clinics have become more and more popular since the early 2000s, however the staff members are frequently non-specialists in sexual medicine or male endocrinology. Many provide subscriptions that include ongoing lab monitoring and testosterone injections on a regular basis.
The emergence of these for-profit low-T clinics has generated discussion in the medical community, with many doctors criticising their preference for financial gain over patient care. Men’s health specialists have voiced concern that issues related to men’s health cannot be effectively handled in the absence of precise diagnosis and customised treatment regimens.
Over the past ten years, academic medical centres have started to set up comprehensive men’s health clinics since they have access to interdisciplinary teams. These clinics try to offer a comprehensive approach to men’s health at establishments such the University of Chicago, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Washington.
Endocrinology
Men’s health endocrinologists assist in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and symptoms associated with hormone imbalances and metabolic disorders in men. Although hypogonadism, or low testosterone, is the most common cause of this, hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones, and growth hormone can also cause health issues in males, including:
Weight gain
Diabetes
Fatigue
Hypercalcemia or hypocalcemia
Cushing’s syndrome
Urology
Men’s health urologists are skilled in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of a wide range of disorders pertaining to the male reproductive and urinary systems. They treat common health issues that affect males, including the following, and visit patients for illnesses affecting the kidneys, bladder, and male genitalia:
Prostate enlargement
Erectile Dysfunction
Infertility
Prostate cancer
Certain men’s health clinics provide additional services for conditions that are exclusive to males or have a particular impact on them, like:
Cardiovascular health: Men are more likely to acquire heart disease at a younger age than women, although heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in both genders.
Dermatology: Men are more likely than women to get melanoma by the age of 50, and they also have a higher chance of dying from cancer at any age.
Sleep aid: Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke are among the health problems linked to sleep apnea, which is more common among men.
Mental health: Men are less likely than women to seek help for mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse problems.
Hair loss: Male pattern baldness can be treated with both surgical and non-surgical methods, such as platelet-rich plasma, or PRP.
The Prospects for Men’s Health in the Future
Fellowship training programmes in related subjects have increased in response to the growing need for men’s health professionals. For instance, there have been more than twice as many urology fellowship training programmes in the past ten years. In fact, as the population ages, there will likely be a greater need for urologists.
The need for doctors with this kind of training is growing at the same time that men’s health clinics are evolving due to new research, evolving perspectives, and technological breakthroughs.
Opportunities will probably be available in the following areas, whether you want to start your career in a growing specialisation or make a career change:
Telemedicine: As telemedicine becomes more common, men’s health will improve since it allows patients to avoid stigma and accessibility problems. For ailments including ED and hair loss, several clinics provide online consultations and medicines.
Drugstores and compounded medicine: Compounding pharmacies hold great potential for the future of men’s health, as the expense of name-brand drugs for ailments like ED continues to be exorbitant. With compounded medicine—medication customised to meet each patient’s needs—they can provide accessible, efficient therapies.
Mental health: Mental health disorders can make physical ailments worse, while chronic conditions can also lead to mental health problems like anxiety and despair. Clinics have the chance to concentrate on encouraging men to talk about their mental health issues, de-stigmatizing seeking treatment, and incorporating mental health care into their offerings.
Male contraception: A revolution is about to occur in this field. Promising progress is being made in the field of male hormonal contraception, which goes beyond the conventional options of vasectomy and condoms.
Future men’s health clinics are probably going to be all-encompassing health centres that handle a wide range of men’s health problems, offer holistic treatment, and guarantee men’s wellbeing in all facets of life. You will have the chance to change the perception of men’s health in this dynamic and developing field by abandoning the “quick-fix” mentality and adopting a long-term, evidence-based strategy.