From penis problems to piles and no sex drive – Dr Zoe answers your men’s health questions

MEN are notoriously bad at seeing their doctor – even when they know something is wrong.

They might deliberately put off a GP appointment out of embarrassment, think it’s better to just soldier on with the pain or miss the signs that something serious is afoot.

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And when it comes to ­mental health, men are significantly less likely to seek support than women too.

So this Men’s Health Week, I’ve picked out some common issues we have had emailed in from readers, as well as their partners and loved ones.

As always, no problem is too big or small.

If you are worried about something health-related, send your emails in and let’s tackle them together. I am here to help!

Q)   FOR the last 18 months I’ve been having ­  problems with decreased sexual feelings.

It’s very hard to explain but when I’m being intimate, I don’t seem to have the heightened sexual pleasure I used to.

I’m 43 and suffer with high blood pressure which I’m on medication for.

Could this be the reason or could it just be my age? Physically I’m OK when I have sex, but it feels very bland.

I’ve tried my local sexual health service but can’t get through on the phone and I’m too embarrassed to see a GP.

A) Thank you so much for writing in with  this problem.

Loss of libido, or sex drive, is a very common problem that affects many men (and women).

I’m sure many Sun Health readers will be grateful you asked about this.

There are a lot of potential causes: Stress, anxiety, exhaustion, communication or other relationship changes.

It can be caused by lower-than-normal testosterone levels or other physical health issues, or side-effects of medication.

It is definitely worth a trip to your GP, who will be sympathetic and can explore all of this in more detail.

They will also consider whether any tests, such as a blood check to look at your hormone levels, are warranted.

Q) I AM 77 and have a problem with my penis.   On erection, it gets much fatter and doesn’t gain in length.

The base is so much thicker and tapers down to the head.

This can be uncomfortable.

It’s as if there is some constriction just below the head of my penis. What’s going on?

A) Your description is consistent with   Peyronie’s disease.

This condition causes the penis to become curved when it’s erect.

It’s not a dangerous problem in itself, but can cause pain, difficulty having sex and sometimes erectile dysfunction.

The symptoms include:

• A thickened area or hard lump in the shaft of the penis.
• A curve in the penis when it’s erect — usually it curves upwards.
• A pain in the penis, usually during an erection.
• The penis looking misshapen, like an hourglass.
• Loss of length or girth of the penis.

The cause is not fully understood, unfortunately.

The condition sometimes occurs after an injury has been sustained to the penis while it is erect, such as being bent during sex, but it can also develop without any obvious cause.

You should definitely see your GP, who can consider referring you to a specialist, as there are treatments available to help manage this condition.

Q)  MY piles have cleared up but there’s excess   skin hanging out. How do I fix it?

A) If blood vessels near the anus swell or   enlarge, it can result in haemorrhoids, which are often called piles.

The excess skin a haemorrhoid produces sometimes becomes a skin tag.

Anal skin tags aren’t a risk to health, but can occasionally cause irritation.

Skin tags can be removed surgically under local anaesthetic, but this is not generally funded through the NHS as it is considered a cosmetic procedure that can be painful and is not medically necessary.

So usually these are left alone.

Q)     I THINK I’m starting to lose my hearing but   don’t want to tell work or my wife. What should I do?

A)   The first step is simply to get a hearing   test.

You can get tested for free at a number of High Street opticians.

You can even do a test online — just make sure you look for an accredited one.

The Royal National Institute For Deaf People (rnid.org.uk) has one.

I do understand that it can be daunting and even embarrassing to come to terms with potential hearing loss.

Part of the reason is there is a lot of stigma, and we associate things such as hearing aids with older age.

However, we are a generation of younger people who are much more likely to have significant hearing loss at a younger age, due to a lifetime’s exposure to extremely loud noise, such as music at gigs, festivals and clubs.

In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that 1.1billion young people aged 12 to 35 are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to noise in ­recreational settings.

Please don’t delay in getting your hearing tested, and if there is a problem it’s important to fix it as soon as possible.

Untreated hearing loss has a number of negative health consequences, including its impact on mental health, ­relationships and even increasing your risk of getting dementia.

Q) MY dad had early onset dementia. Does it   pass down the male line? If so, what are my risks of getting it?

A)  About five per cent of people with dementia — that’s one in every 20 patients – develop symptoms before the age of 65.

This is classed as early onset dementia and in these cases the condition is more likely to have been caused by a single faulty gene that has been passed down from either parent to a child.

In general, the earlier a person develops dementia, the greater the chance that it is due to a faulty inherited gene.

In cases where dementia is caused by a single faulty gene, the patient’s children should be offered genetic counselling — to support them in making the decision whether to have their own genes tested.

Most forms of dementia are not inherited, but caused by an interaction between genetic and environmental factors including diet, smoking and physical activity.

The biggest risk factor, though, is age. One in 14 people over the age of 65 has dementia, and the condition affects one in six people over 80.

If you can, speak to the specialist team looking after your dad as they will be able to confirm whether your dad’s type is genetic and if it is, they can help with finding out more about genetic counselling.