Predominantly Women's Diseases Found In Men, Too

Right from our birth, we are faced with gender discrimination. The male and female stereotypes are so much reinforced into our subconscious minds that anything that doesn’t conform to these lines becomes very difficult to accept. Same holds true for the medical field too.

There are certain diseases that are so common in specific genders that we often ignore the symptoms of the disease, if present in the opposite gender. The end result of this ignorance is that the disease is often caught when it is in a pretty advanced stage, even though the symptoms were there in front of everybody. Let’s discuss some disease which are usually seen in women but even men are not safe from them

1. Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is so common in women that even when it is diagnosed in a man, he continues to live in denial. Statistics reveal that for every 108 cases of female breast cancer, there is one case of breast cancer in a male. More than 2000 new cases of male breast cancer are detected every year in the US alone. And it is a pity that these cancers are often diagnosed at an advanced stage even though it is far easier to detect breast cancer in men than in women.

When men detect any unusual lump or any discharge from their breasts, they tend to ignore it thinking it as a one off thing. Even if the lump grows, or the discharge is persistent, men are too embarrassed to consult a doctor. Even the medical practitioners are to be blamed. How often in our routine clinical practice do we examine men for breast cancer?  The end result of all this ignorance is that male breast cancer is diagnosed very late. The tumors when detected are pretty large and lymph node metastasis has already occurred. That is why the survival rate is low in male breast cancer patients.

2. Lupus

This is again one disease which men are pretty embarrassed about. Everyone knows that lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects women. Therefore, when men develop symptoms of lupus, neither they, nor their physicians think of the possibility.

It has been seen that one man is affected with lupus per nine women. And when seen in a man, the symptoms of lupus are particularly severe. However, if the disease is recognized early and the treatment is initiated at the correct time, the response is generally good.

Ignorance Is Not Always A Bliss - There Are Certain Women’s Diseases That A Man Can Get Too

3. Osteoporosis

We all know that dwindling estrogen levels once a woman hits menopause makes her more prone to develop osteoporosis. But osteoporosis in a man? This may look like a bad joke but unfortunately it is true. One man per four women is affected by osteoporosis even though he may not be aware of it.

Number of men suffering from osteoporosis in the US is expected to touch the 20 million mark by 2020. Experts say that it can be a result of declining testosterone levels, as well as low estrogen.  Low testosterone levels aggravate the bone loss.

Around the age of 60 to 70 years, the risk of developing osteoporosis is same in both men and women. The disease is usually silent initially and often comes to notice when the patient suffers from a fracture or severe bone pain. Consuming calcium rich foods or taking testosterone injections may help if diagnosed at an early stage.

4. Eating disorders

No one in his right mind would ever associate an eating disorder with men. It is the females who diet and it is they who suffer from these conditions. But hold on. This is not the truth. Though most of the women develop eating disorders at some point of time while dieting, in men this is often seen when they try to lose weight for some sports.

For every nine women, one man is found to be suffering from some eating disorder. As per the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), of the 8 million Americans suffering from some form of eating disorder, 1 million are men. It is necessary to recognize and treat these disorders as they may lead to life-long psychological complications. 6% of the patients may die because of these disorders. Most of the men suffering from anorexia, a type of eating disorder, are too embarrassed to seek professional help. Often, even the family members are not aware of the problem.

Doctors also look at the problem of eating disorder with a gender bias. Therefore, they may fail to notice the subtle signs of these conditions. The end result is that the condition progresses to a stage where it may become life threatening.

5. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

Human papilloma virus infection is usually associated with the development of cervical cancer in women. But experts would like us to believe that the infection with HPV is just as common in men. In fact, a recent study conducted by the Ohio State University has found that HPV infection in men can be associated with the development of throat cancer. In view of these findings, some physicians have started recommending HPV vaccine to boys as well.

6. Depression

All over the world, the number of women seeking help for tackling depression is much higher than men. So much so, that depression has also come to be known as a woman’s disease. However, this certainly does not mean that men do not suffer from depression. In fact, there are so many kinds of pressures that they have to bear at the workplace, they often suffer from depression. However, they are reluctant to seek help as men are perceived to be stronger both emotionally and physically. Untreated depression can be dangerous. According to the website of Mayo Clinic, although the number of women attempting suicide is more, it is the men who are more successful at it. Therefore, one has to be very wary of any sign of depression.

After coming to know about these diseases, we must understand that it is very rare for a disease to be confined to one particular gender. It is extremely important to recognize that these diseases affect men too. There is no need to get embarrassed if you suffer from any of these disease and stake proper treatment before the disease is advanced.