AARP Hearing Center
7 Health Symptoms Men Should Never Ignore
Some symptoms may seem minor, but they can point to serious health problems if left unchecked
Kyle Hilton
Key takeaways
- Research shows that men often dismiss troubling symptoms and skip regular checkups, putting them at higher risk of missing a diagnosis and timely treatment.
- Some symptoms aren’t serious, so knowing which ones are can help you know when to see a doctor.
- Warning signs like unexplained weight loss, persistent pain, and blood in urine, stool or semen should prompt a medical visit.
A minor health ailment here or there may be no big deal, but there are some symptoms you shouldn’t ignore — especially if you’re a man 50 or older who doesn’t see a doctor regularly.
Women are more likely to keep up with routine health care as they get older, but many men fall out of the habit after their pediatric years — allowing potential health problems to go undetected until they’re more serious, says Dr. Alfred Winkler, chief of urology at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, who also is an assistant professor of urology at Weill Cornell Medicine.
More Ways to Benefit
- Related Benefit 1
- Related Benefit 2
- Related Benefit 3
- Related Benefit 4
- Related Benefit 5
A report from the Commonwealth Fund found that three times as many men as women had not seen a doctor in the previous year. The same survey found that 1 in 4 men wait as long as possible before seeking help for a health concern. “Men attribute symptoms to aging or stress and wait until something is unavoidable,” adds Dr. Ashutosh Tewari, a urologist and prostate cancer specialist at Mount Sinai in New York. But, Winkler stresses, it’s always better to catch a problem early, even before symptoms arise.
Doing so may give you more treatment options and better outcomes.
Treat your health the way you would a new car, Winkler advises: Keep up with regular maintenance, address problems early and pay attention to what you put into it. “If men treated their health in a similar fashion, they would avoid a lot of negative outcomes,” he adds.
Symptoms to be concerned about
These are a few symptoms that men shouldn’t ignore.
Unexplained weight loss
If you’ve lost weight and don’t know why, you should bring that up with your doctor, Winkler says. It may not be serious, but it can be a sign of a more pressing health issue.
Blood in stool or urine
“Blood in the urine or semen, even once and even if painless, should never be ignored,” says Tewari. The same thing goes for having blood in your stool. It may be something simple like hemorrhoids, or it could be more serious, like colon cancer. If you have signs of shock along with the blood — confusion, fainting, rapid or shallow breathing — head to the emergency room, the Mayo Clinic advises.
Pain
Everyone experiences pain from time to time — pulled muscles, achy joints, a back that’s not cooperating. But if the pain you’re experiencing persists or worsens, it’s a good idea to get checked, Winkler says. Severe pain, especially in the arm or jaw, warrants a trip to the hospital.
A lump
If you notice a lump on your body that wasn’t there before, don’t ignore it or excuse it away. See your health care provider. “At worst, you’ll get peace of mind. At best, you’ll be able to get an intervention that solves a problem,” Winkler says.
Urinary changes
Urinary changes you shouldn’t dismiss include weakening urine streams, going to the bathroom multiple times a night, difficulty starting or stopping urination and not feeling like you’ve emptied your bladder, Tewari says.
“Men tend to write these off as a normal part of aging, and while they often reflect benign prostate enlargement, they can also be the first clue to something that warrants evaluation,” Tewari says.
Symptoms of enlarged prostate, which appear in most men over 50, are “extremely common and very treatable, Tewari adds.
Reduced or impaired sexual function
If you’re having problems with erections, that’s often dismissed too, Tewari notes. New or worsening erectile dysfunction is not only a quality-of-life concern, but also can be a warning sign of a heart problem years before any chest symptoms, he adds.
Similarly, painful curving in the penis caused by scar tissue — Peyronie’s disease — is another condition men may ignore that’s very treatable, Tewari notes.
You may be wondering if adding testosterone could support healthy aging, as the hormone naturally declines starting in your mid-30s. “Testosterone is not an antiaging supplement, and the right approach is to confirm both symptoms and low levels with a physician rather than taking it as a vitality product,” Tewari says.
Heart symptoms
Heart disease is the top cause of death in the U.S. and becomes more common with age, so letting your doctor know about the following symptoms associated with heart disease could be lifesaving:
- Chest pressure, pain, tightness or discomfort (especially pain that lasts more than one minute)
- Shortness of breath, including during an activity and when waking
- Pain in the jaw, throat, neck, upper belly or back
- Weakness, pain, numbness or coldness in the legs or arms
- Feeling dizzy or faint or actually fainting
- Racing or slow heartbeat
- Fatigue
- Swollen feet, legs or ankles
If you experience chest pain or shortness of breath, or you faint, seek emergency care right away, the Mayo Clinic reports.
Finding and seeing a doctor
It’s always a good idea to establish a relationship with a doctor before you need one, says Dr. Neeraja Tillu, a urologist at Mount Sinai. “Many men enter the health care system only in a crisis, which is exactly the wrong time to meet a doctor for the first time,” he says.
To find a doctor, ask trusted family members or friends, request a referral from an existing specialist you may see, and make sure the doctor takes your insurance and is seeing new patients.
Once you’ve scheduled an appointment, come prepared with your family history, a list of medications and supplements you take and any questions you want to ask.
Curious what your visit will entail?
Your provider will likely check your cholesterol and glucose (sugar) levels and possibly your hemoglobin A1c, which is an average of your blood sugar over two to three months. It can be a valuable health indicator even if fasting glucose levels are in acceptable ranges, Tillu says.
Ask if you should have a simple kidney-function test called the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), as well as a C-reactive protein test to check for inflammation, Tillu says.
Blood pressure, weight and body mass index (BMI) will also probably be measured, and your doctor may check your waist circumference and body fat percentage, both of which can tell you more about your metabolic risks.
Don’t forget to ask about bone health; osteoporosis affects men, too, and becomes especially relevant for men on certain prostate cancer therapies, Tillu says.
Be honest about your sleep habits, as untreated sleep apnea can raise your blood pressure and metabolic and cardiac risks and is both common and underdiagnosed in men, Tillu adds.
Ask your doctor about prostate screening, too. They may use a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening blood test or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or conduct a rectal examination. Blood- and saliva-based biomarker tests and genetic risk scores are also emerging as diagnostic tools for prostate cancer, Tewari says.
Taking care of your health
Winkler offers some tips to help you take charge of your health:
- Be aware of your family's history. Find out about health conditions your biological family has dealt with and tell your doctor. These details can offer important clues about your health, Winkler says. For instance, if someone in your family had breast or ovarian cancer, you may be at an elevated risk for prostate cancer, he explains.
- Enlist support. Try involving your significant other in your health care maintenance, Winkler says. A partner or spouse may notice changes in your health before you do, he says.
The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
AARP Membership
Join AARP for only $15 per year with automatic renewal. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of benefits, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.
More From AARP
Common Allergies People 50-Plus Face
Reactions to foods, medications, pollen and insects can develop later in life
2 Health Risks Linked to Menopause
Estrogen changes drive bone and heart risks, but there are ways to protect your health
Andropause: What Men Need to Know
Men’s testosterone usually diminishes as they age. Here are some ways to slow the decline