Men’s Health Month: Annual Primary Care Screenings For Men

June is Men’s Health Month, and while most people can easily name some of the annual screenings required for women, the primary care screenings for men need often go forgotten.  This month’s blog focuses on all of our male patients and the important annual screenings they should have with their primary care provider.  

Screenings for men in their 20s & 30s

• Blood pressure – Men even as young as their 20s should have a routine blood pressure check to identify any underlying blood pressure elevation.  A normal blood pressure reading is 120/60, and blood pressure consistently over 130/85 should be evaluated for possible treatment.  After a normal baseline reading, have it checked at least every two years.  
• Cholesterol – Evaluating cholesterol requires looking at a few numbers.  These numbers tell us your risk of heart disease and stroke.  Desirable cholesterol levels should be: 
  • Total cholesterol level should be 125-200 mg/dL
  • Non-HDL cholesterol should be less than 130 mg/DL
  • LDL should be less than 100 md/DL
  • HDL should be 40mg/DL or higher
• Diabetes – If you are overweight or obese or have a family history of diabetes, it is especially important to get a baseline screening for diabetes every 3 years.  
• STDs – If you’re sexually active, especially if you have more than one partner, you should be screened at least once per year for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.  You should be checked at least once for HIV in your lifetime.  If you need quick, same-day STD testing, we offer it every day at our urgent care clinic.
• Depression – Many people attribute signs of depression to other external factors.  At a regular primary care physical, your provider will have you complete a screening for depression to see if symptoms point to it.  
• Review vaccination history and ensure all vaccines are up-to-date

Screenings for men in their 40s & 50s

• All of the screenings listed above 
• Prostate cancer screening – Depending on family history, some providers recommend starting routine prostate screenings in the 40s, however no matter your history, you should have them regularly in your 50s.  
• An colonoscopy is usually recommended every 5 years beginning at age 50, but some providers may recommend starting sooner, depending on your family and medical history.  
• Hepatitis C – Adults born between 1945 and 1965 are recommended to get a one-time blood screening for Hep C.  

Screenings for men age 60 and older

• All screenings recommended above
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening – this is a one-time screening conducted via an ultrasound. It is usually recommended for those age 65-75 who have a smoking history.

At Complete Health Partners Primary Care, we will perform most of these screenings for you in your annual physical, and we can help set up the ones we cannot perform (such as colonoscopies).  

Establishing Care with A Primary Care Provider

Don’t have a primary care provider?  We are now accepting new primary care patients at our 2 Nashville area clinics.  We are excited to offer primary care to men in West Nashville and Hendersonville. A few pointers as to why you should consider having a PCP, or primary care provider: we can provide holistic care, continuity of care, and manage multiple health concerns. We are able to take care of you as well as your loved ones. And should you have any urgent needs that arise, we can see you in the same location!

Benefits of Primary Care

In my experience with men’s primary care, some of the most important issues identified during annual physical exams were high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, alcoholism, and heart disease. With regular monitoring and discussions, most men were able to get these issues under control and have a better handle on their health! Lifestyle changes and support are sometimes all that’s necessary, whereas sometimes medication is needed for health management. If a referral is needed to see a specialist, your PCP will be happy to help you get there. There are many more health conditions managed by a PCP, but these are some of the relevant ones for men that we’ve found undiagnosed.

Most importantly, is that your PCP is someone on your team, whom you trust to take care of you. We enjoy being your partner in health and providing the best quality primary care in the Nashville area.

About Complete Health Partners

Our walk in clinic doors are open everyday to our Nashville community. We are now accepting new primary care patients, and with our convenient online appointment system, you can be set up with one of our providers in a snap.  Complete Health Partners Urgent Care/Walk in Clinic is located in West Nashville and Hendersonville. We offer urgent and walk in care 7 days a week from 9am-7pm in West Nashville and Hendersonville. With our online check in, you can select a time that works for you and get seen on your schedule. Our Nashville primary care & urgent care services serve patients from Belle Meade to Hendersonville and from Joelton to the Gulch – we are Nashville’s partner in complete health.