We all hear about women’s health, there’s an office of women’s health, women have gynecologists among other things and have so many other health perks that men don’t. This is rooted in gynocentrism, gamma bias and male disposability.

Beginning with reproductive health:

Epididymitis: common, more than 200,000 cases per year

Spermatocele:A cyst that 1 in 3 men will develop in their lifetime

Varicocele:Very common, more than 3,000,000 cases per year

Hydrocele: Common, more than 200,000 cases per year

Peyronie’s disease: Common, more than 200,000 cases per year

Despite being thought to be a women’s disease, 1 in 6 men will experience pelvic pain/disorder in their lifetime: (Source Omitted)

Men also have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/947998

Now, let’s discuss UTIs, yeast infection and smegma/discharge. The thing is pro-male genital mutilation individuals try to justify circumcision. Thing is FGM actually greatly reduces the prevalence of all of these in women, yet we give women vagisil and other “feminine hygiene products” I find it hypocritical that we traumatize newborn baby boys instead of giving and making masculine hygiene products for them.

“Dads Have Pregnancy Symptoms Too”

“As bizarre as it seems, what you’re describing is actually relatively common among expectant fathers. Men’s psychological experience of pregnancy is just as profound as women’s. But even though men aren’t physically pregnant, they still can—as you’ve discovered—experience some physical symptoms. And we’re not talking about just a few guys. Somewhere between 25 and 90 percent of expectant fathers have a “sympathetic” pregnancy, also called couvade syndrome, from the French “to hatch.”

Men’s couvade symptoms are often very similar to women’s: food cravings, mood swings, and weight gain. Other common symptoms are a bit stranger (but plenty of women experience them too), including toothaches, headaches, nosebleeds, cramps (admittedly, pretty weird for a guy), and even cysts.

Couvade symptoms in men tend to appear at the same time as their partner starts showing—around four months. They may fade after a month or so, but will often reappear a month or two before the baby is born. For most guys, symptoms tend to disappear right after the birth.

So why does this happen? No on knows for sure, but there are plenty of theories. The first has to do with the way that men in our society are expected to be the providers and protectors, keeping our family safe and easing their pain. Unfortunately, in the case of pregnancy, there’s nothing we can do about our partner’s pain. So our brain decides that the next best thing is for us to share it—especially if we’re feeling guilty about being responsible for the partner’s pain in the first place.

Another theory (one I’m especially fond of) is that couvade may be a subconscious attempt by the expectant dad to get people to pay some attention to him. Everyone asks him how his partner is doing, but rarely does anyone ask how he’s doing. It’s as if he’s saying, “Hey, world, she’s not the only one whose pants don’t fit anymore and who tosses her cookies every morning. My life is changing too!”

Interestingly, there may also be some biological reasons that cause men’s pregnancy symptoms. We’ve all heard of the famous hormonal roller coaster that women are on during pregnancy. According to several recent studies, expectant dads’ hormone levels (we all have the same ones, just in different amounts) follow a similar up-and-down pattern as their wives’, rising and falling at the same times. This may explain why most expectant dads find themselves paying more attention to children in the months before their own are born.

Back to the brain, another interesting theory is that couvade symptoms can be the expectant father’s subconscious way of showing his partner that he’s completely committed to being a father and spouse. Anyone can lie and say, “I love you, honey, and I’m going to be a really involved dad.” But it takes a real commitment to put on weight and develop a nosebleed. The brain comes up with some really weird stuff, doesn’t it?” (Source Omittes)

Male Prenatal Vitamins: https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/male-prenatal-vitamins-more-than-just-a-pill/

“Male “Prenatal” Vitamins: More Than Just a Pill

For how long have women been taking “prenatal” vitamins? Maybe a decade? Nope. A link between vitamin deficiency and pregnancy outcomes was postulated 70 years ago! And studies showing fewer neural tube defects in babies following maternal folic acid supplementation are now almost 40 years old. Indeed, prenatal vitamins have become a clutch player in the world of preventative medicine.

Equal Rights

But what about prenatal vitamins for men? You know, equal rights and all that. Funny you should ask, because that’s precisely what I am speaking about at the 2nd Annual Integrative Fertility Symposium in Vancouver. Have pregnancy outcomes been shown to improve if men take a prenatal (actually, “preconception,” as men don’t typically gestate babies) supplement?

Take Your Vitamins, Son

In fact, it looks like there are benefits to pregnancies when dads take their vitamins while trying to become dads. And no, it’s not as simple as kids walking sooner or becoming instantly attracted to red fire trucks. It’s much more basic than that.

There have now been two meta-analyses published on this topic, one examining 34 studies (n=2876 couples) and a second evaluating 48 studies (n=4179 couples). And lo and behold, they reached the same conclusions: When men take preconception vitamins, their partners going through IVF are 3-4 fold more likely to get pregnant and 4 fold more likely to have live births. In one of the studies, sperm counts and motilities also improved with vitamins. Admittedly, most of the studies looked at in the formal reviews weren’t the best ones ever performed. Nevertheless, despite this caveat, the findings are about as fundamental to life as one could imagine.

So Moved

In fact, I was so moved by these studies when they first came out that I spearheaded the development of a male preconception pill called Essential Beginnings XY. And soon after the second meta-analysis rolled out, our own government (the NIH) began a nationwide randomized trial to prove these claims for good. After all, this could be a real sea change in how we think about men and vitamins.

So how do men’s vitamins do all the good that they appear to do? In a word, they are antioxidants and a good-sized chunk of human infertility is thought to be due to oxidants and “oxidative stress.” From a sperm’s point of view, this translates into fragmented or broken DNA, and possibly changes to the epigenetic profile of DNA.Messing up sperm DNA in this way makes them far less attractive to eggs as that lovely genetic dance called meiosis begins after fertilization and during embryo development. In essence, the madness that oxidants bring to bear on sperm may be nipped in the bud by vitamins, allowing proper development.

One final thought. Before we go off and try to change what our life partners put in their mouths every day, recall the words of Robert Byrne: “Anybody who believes that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach flunked geography.”

“80 Percent of those diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer are men, the leading cancer caused by HPV, surpassing cervical cancer. However just 16% of men aged 18 to 21 years old have received a dose of the HPV vaccine, which is a cancer-prevention vaccine for men as well as women”

https://www.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/n0iz71/80_of_those_diagnosed_with_oropharyngeal_cancer/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

“More Men Have HPV than Women”

https://maismaismedicina.com/2017/11/03/more-men-have-hpv-than-women/

Since 2013, the rate of reported gonorrhea has been higher among men compared to women. Among men, the rate of reported gonorrhea increased 5.9% during 2018–2019 and 60.6% during 2015–2019.

Surprised that the misandrist un even admitted this (I’m sure they’ll find a way to gaslight and blame the men if they haven’t already) :https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2020/october/20201012_new-hiv-infections-men-outnumber-women

10% of new fathers will experience Postpartum depression: https://www.google.com/amp/s/health.clevelandclinic.org/yes-postpartum-depression-in-men-is-very-real/amp/

Male Menopause: https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/do-you-suffer-from-male-menopause/l

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/men-have-biological-clocks-too-and-they-tick-just-as-loudly/

“Emotional trauma of miscarriage on men is often overlooked” https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/miscarriage-men-grief/2021/07/02/f7d7f388-ceed-11eb-8014-2f3926ca24d9_story.html

Contraceptives for men, as you know are currently being developed. Male Reproductive Health Alliance:

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/announcing-the-male-reproductive-health-alliance/

Important information https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/the-role-of-sperm-dna-fragmentation-in-the-evaluation-of-the-male-fertility-patient/

https://healthymentoday.com/adding-insult-to-injury-male-infertility-may-predict-other-health-problems/ https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/the-ultimate-liquid-biopsy-for-fertility/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/tuberous-sclerosis-a-fathers-journey/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/the-little-prosthesis-that-could/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/the-genetics-of-headless-sperm/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/men-get-your-psa-checked-2/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/testicular-implant-is-it-for-you/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/is-there-a-link-between-dental-health-and-mens-fertility/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/male-infertility-may-predict-other-health-problems/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/edex-penile-injection-therapy/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/as-your-penis-goes-so-goes-your-heart/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/fertility-preservation-in-the-male/

Male infants: “Preterm male infants need more initial respiratory and circulatory support than female infants” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15188982/

“Study finds male infants at increased risk for NAS” https://news.vumc.org/2017/05/04/study-finds-male-infants-at-increased-risk-for-nas/

https://theconversation.com/why-males-are-more-likely-to-die-from-conception-to-old-age-62288

Penile Torsion in Male Infants: A common condition https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15454-penile-torsion

Gamma Bias/Empathy Gap/Male Disposability:

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/men-are-people-too/

https://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/the-womens-healthcrisis-delusion/

“The facts are simple, yet stark:

• On average, men in the U.S. live shorter (by five years), sicker lives than women, dying at younger ages and in greater numbers from nine of the top 10 causes of death. • Men are 40% more likely than women to die of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, and twice as likely to die of liver disease • Men account for 67% of opiate overdose deaths, 75% of suicides, and 90% of workplace injuries and fatalities • Men are much more likely than women to be unemployed and less likely to have insurance. • Boys and men engage more than females in over 30 unhealthy behaviors (alcohol use, tobacco use, overeating, etc.) that increase their risk for poor health outcomes. They often ignore their symptoms and delay getting medical attention until it’s an emergency—or too late. • Many men and boys —particularly those with low incomes—are systematically excluded from getting care. The Affordable Care Act, for example, covers free annual “well-woman” physical exams and screenings for STDs and mental health for women and girls, but NOT for men and boys. As a result, men and boys often don’t receive preventive care, and potentially life-threatening conditions don’t get diagnosed early, when they’re far easier to treat and/or cure.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that American males are far worse off than females, talk of women’s health “crisis” persists. And there’s a lot of money behind that talk. In the federal government alone, there are at least five Offices of Women’s Health: at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The combined annual budgets of these Offices is in the tens of millions of dollars. In addition, the Office of Research for Women’s Health within the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—one of several research agencies focusing exclusively on women’s health—has a $5 billion annual budget.

Today, there are exactly zero offices of men’s health anywhere in the federal government, zero offices researching men’s health, and a corresponding combined budget of exactly zero dollars.

Nowhere, however, is this “male-blindness” more glaring than at the American Public Health Association, an international organization with 25,000 members that claims to champion “the health of all people and all communities” and whose mission is to “achieve equity in health status.” Sounds great. But the closing General Session at APHA’s annual meeting earlier this month was entitled “Dying too Soon: A Look at Women’s Health.” And the description reads, in part: “Women continue to die in unacceptable rates from preventable diseases. This session will explore the issues around premature death in American women throughout the lifespan.”

Coming from an organization that supposedly fights for equity, it’s hard to see that as anything but an insult to men. Whenever I talk about the crisis in men’s health and the need to create an Office of Men’s Health, I hear from skeptics who accuse me of wanting to “take resources away from women’s health.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Healthier men make healthier families, and healthier families make a healthier—and more prosperous—country for all of us.

On the other hand, while women’s health gets plenty of well-deserved attention—and money—ignoring the men’s health crisis, is incredibly costly. Federal and state governments lose tens of billions in tax revenues (because men are either dead or too sick to earn taxable income), and pay out billions more to survivors (who wouldn’t be survivors if their husbands or fathers were still alive). And the overall economy loses still more billions in lost productivity. In addition, Andrew Yarrow, author of “Man Out,” documents that male suicides cost the US at least $70 billion in 2015, male opioid abuse costs another $50 billion, and men’s alcohol-related problems cost more than $150 billion in 2010.

Before the end of this year, a bi-partisan coalition in Congress will introduce a bill to create the first-ever federal Office of Men’s Health. I urge you to contact your representative and express your support. And if you’re a member of APHA, I urge you to contact their governing body to express your outrage at their deliberate—and divisive—omission of the very real crisis in men’s health.”

“Why men don’t care about the health care debate” https://www.statnews.com/2017/12/20/men-health-care-debate/

With another Affordable Care Act open-enrollment period in the rearview mirror, policymakers remain mystified as to why men lag behind when it comes to obtaining health insurance. And young men sometimes catch the blame for high insurance rates, since this relatively healthy segment of the population tends not to buy coverage.

There is no mystery. Women receive substantial gender-based services that personalize health insurance for them and that provide strong incentives to buy coverage. But under the ACA, there are no gender-based services for men and no incentives to buy health insurance other than fines and penalties, which are designed to punish men for not participating in a program that fails to provide for their basic needs.

The economic benefits of preventive health care are well-known. Screening for various conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sexually transmitted infections, and some cancers, along with regular medical checkups, have improved and lengthened the lives of millions of Americans. And it keeps people whose conditions are caught early from getting sicker.

Employers know that preventive health care reduces sick days and disability payments and increases workplace productivity. Insurance companies know that preventive health care lowers their costs and generally support it. Always happy to jump on the bandwagon, politicians espouse the benefits of preventive care, which is why these services were included as an important part of the ACA and now cover many Americans.

A clear provision in the ACA prohibits discrimination “on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.” But that doesn’t square with reality. Women and girls are covered, mostly for free, for a variety of preventive services, while men and boys are eligible for far fewer preventive services, some of which are also important for maintaining the good health of women and girls.

Is it any wonder that men have disengaged from discussions of health care? Here’s a closer look.

Sexually transmitted infections Under the ACA, non-pregnant women age 24 and younger, as well as older, high-risk women, can receive free screenings for chlamydia. And all sexually active women can receive free screenings for gonorrhea. Tests for detecting these diseases are equally effective in both sexes, but males aren’t eligible for free screenings. Since chlamydia and gonorrhea are both transmitted sexually, what’s the point of screening only females?

According to the CDC, “Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection.” Besides reducing the painful symptoms that sexually transmitted infections cause in boys and men, screening them could interrupt the cycle of infection. The same is true for oral human papillomavirus. Anti-HPV vaccines exist for both males and females, but females are more likely to get the vaccine. Males, as a result, are 3.6 to six times more likely to be infected with the virus (depending on the strain), which can cause genital warts and several types of cancer.

Annual visits for preventive care The ACA provides for an excellent, comprehensive annual Well-Woman Visit at no cost. These visits, as defined by law, “include a full checkup, separate from any other visit for sickness or injury,” and “focus on preventive care for women,” including shots (such as flu and pneumonia vaccines), education, counseling (diet, exercise, smoking cessation, etc.), and mental health screenings for depression and suicide risk.

No comparable “Well-Man Visit” is provided, despite the well-documented fact that across all races and ethnicities, men live sicker, significantly shorter lives than women. Most premature deaths are avoidable through preventive care. And there’s little doubt that effective mental health screening could reduce the horrifying statistic that males are four times more likely than females die by suicide.

To prevent premature deaths, boys and men must learn about their own health needs. But that’s unlikely to happen unless the messages come in person from a health professional. Well-man visits would inform men of their health needs and encourage them to become actively engaged in their health. They’ll also give providers the chance to catch problems while they’re still treatable or curable.

Prostate cancer screening Under the ACA, breast cancer screening for women is provided “without charging a copayment or coinsurance,” even for women who haven’t met their deductibles. Screening for prostate cancer — which is the No. 1 cancer in men — isn’t covered at all. Why not?

The risk of developing prostate cancer is much higher for African-American men and veterans exposed to Agent Orange and other chemicals, and more than doubles with a family history of the disease. Routine screening for high-risk men can catch potential prostate cancer earlier, which can prompt earlier treatment (if necessary) and may increase the patient’s lifespan and quality of life.

Besides the terrible toll that prostate cancer takes every year on men, tens of thousands of wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters are devastated by the emotional, physical, spiritual, and economic impacts of this disease.

Contraceptives The ACA requires that health plans cover counseling and contraception for women, including barrier methods, implanted devices, birth control pills, emergency contraception (“morning after” pills), and sterilization procedures. For men? Nothing. Covering contraception for women reduces unintended and unwanted pregnancies. Covering condoms and vasectomies for men would undoubtedly have the same effect.

Other screenings Although we think of breast cancer and osteoporosis as women’s diseases, both conditions affect men as well. At-risk men should receive the same no-cost screenings that women do.