Men Love Their Cars More Than Themselves?

No Surprises to guess that Cars are Men’s First Love

Cars happen to be the first love for a shocking percentage of men. And according to one slightly surprising survey, almost 70 percent of American men agree that they find it easier to take care of their car than their personal health. Forty percent of the men who participated in the survey reported that they were more likely to address issues with their cars rather than issues with their own health.

The survey was conducted by Men’s Health Network (MHN), in collaboration with Abbott Laboratories, and included 501 men in between the ages of 45 and 65 along with their better halves. The results confirmed that men live in a state of denial as far as their health is concerned, and prefer to hope that nasty symptoms or lingering discomforts will simply subside on their own with time.

Since a very young age, men have traditionally been taught that big boys don’t cry, and that they should be tough and strong. This belief becomes more and more strengthened and internalized as the years pass by. So much so, that even when men have grown up to become responsible adults, they tend to keep ignoring their health.

The Congress established Men’s Health Week in 1994 under former President Bill Clinton. The week is celebrated every year in the week preceding the Father’s Day. The main purpose of celebrating Men’s Health Week is to drive home the importance of taking adequate care of your body — even if you are a man — and not to neglect (suspected) health issues, no matter how petty they may seem.

Men Delay Their symptoms by at Least Six Months before Making an Appointment with the Doctor

According to Dr Harry Fisch, urologist and clinical professor of medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College, after the age of forty, age related changes start taking place in the body. He recommends that men should get their cholesterol, blood pressure, prostate and testicles examined and undergo a blood test for their level of testosterone, every year. Testosterone levels are not only important as decreased levels may lead to sexual dysfunction and low sperm count, but also because they may indicate decreased muscle mass and strength, loss of body hair, and decreased bone mineral density or increased body fat. In fact erectile dysfunction may precede heart disease by 3 to 5 years in many men.

However, according to the survey, men often delay visiting the doctor for at least 6 months after the onset of their symptoms. This is a considerable time as many diseases can be treated before they get out of hand if the treatment is initiated promptly after the onset of symptoms.

The survey also found that 56 percent of women are more concerned about the health of the men in their lives than they are about their own health. This is because women tend to feel more responsible for their family’s health and well being and are therefore more inclined to seek preventive care, so that they can continue to take good care of their families. The rate of visits to the doctor for annual examinations and preventive care is a shocking 100 percent higher in women as compared to men.

The survey should serve as a wake up call for men. It’s not bad to love one’s car but it is equally important to respect your own body and its demands. If you have seen your car mechanic more often than your family doctor, you're excellent at making sure your car's maintenance needs are met — but you'll have missed important screening tests and preventative routine checkups. Make that appointment today, even if you don't think there's anything wrong with you!