Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
The average life expectancy of a man born in the United State in 2007 is 75
years and 5 months. The life expectancy for a man has increased dramatically in the past 50 years.
How long we live is important; however, the quality of life is equally
important. The ability to enjoy life to its
fullest requires investing time and effort into health maintenance and disease
prevention. This investment pays dividends almost immediately and it is never
too late to begin. A person who was 65 years old in 2007 could expect to live to
age 82, and a 75 year old could expect 10 more years of life.
Our bodies are incredibly complex machines that require fuel components
(food, water, and air) to grow, function, and repair itself. Like any machine, the body requires routine maintenance to make it last a long
time and to function well throughout a person's life expectancy. Using the body as it
was intended and minimizing abuse also increases its ability
to perform. When we buy a car, we expect to routinely change the oil,
filters, rotate the tires, and avoid driving too aggressively to keep the car
running smoothly and last a certain length of time. As in life, accidents
happen and cosmetic injuries occur, but it is the "guts" of a car, the
engine, transmission, and brakes that will decide if it will be happily driving
down the road or
sitting in the junkyard.
Our bodies suffer through illnesses and accidents and many are unavoidable.
Taking care of your body also includes
scheduled maintenance and screening
examinations to detect illnesses at an early stage, which increases the potential
for cure and a return to health. Learning to listen to the body's warning signs
and symptoms
is the same as paying attention to the check engine light in your car, neither
should not be ignored.
A healthy lifestyle is not just an absence of disease, but an opportunity to
enjoy the years of life available to each person. Medical care can help the body
maintain its performance as it ages. A longer life expectancy should not be
considered a jail sentence to inactivity. But as the body ages, there is an
expected and normal physiologic change in some of the hormones in the male body.
Viewer Question: I've been under a prolonged period of stress, which seems to have diminished my sex drive. I recently read that stress can affect hormone levels. What can I do to counteract stress and improve my sex drive?
Doctor's Response: You are not alone in your concern. A diminished interest in sex is one of many symptoms that can develop as a result of increased psychological stress, and studies show that a decreased sex drive is a common complaint in people who have stressful jobs and work long hours. Fortunately, taking steps to manage your stress can help you regain some of your lost sexual energy.
Stress management is a highly individual practice, and each person must choose the stress control techniques that work best for them. However, stress control methods most often include a combination of exercise, relaxation techniques (deep breathing or meditation exercises), adhering to a regular sleep cycle, and proper nutrition. Exercise releases endorphins, which are the body's natural stress-fighting hormones, so any type of physical exercise is a good stress control measure....
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the kidney, ureter, bladder, and/or urethra. Not
everyone with a UTI has symptoms. Common symptoms include
Rectal bleeding (hematochezia) refers to the passage of bright red blood from the anus. Rectal bleeding may be moderate to severe and most bleeding comes
Low testosterone can affect both men and women. Causes of low testosterone in males include undescended testicles and injury to the scrotum. Low testosterone
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. The two types of diabetes are referred to as type
Colon cancer is a malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon. Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps. Removal of
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There
Blood in semen is also known as hematospermia. Blood in semen can be caused by many conditions affecting the tubes that distribute semen from the testicles
Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction, is a common
problem among men characterized by the consistent inability to sustain an
erection sufficient
Gynecomastia, an enlargement of the gland tissue in the male breast is the caused by an imbalance of hormones. Certain medical conditions may also lead
Cystic fibrosis is a disease of the mucus and sweat glands. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease. The outcome of the disease leaves the body malnourished,
Signs and symptoms of penile cancer include a lump on the penis and redness, irritation, or a sore on the penis. Risk of penis cancer is higher in uncircumcised
Myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease. Varying degrees of weakness of the voluntary muscles of the body are the main characteristics.
Testicular cancer symptoms include a painless lump or swelling in a testicle, testicle or scrotum pain, a dull ache in the abdomen, back, or groin, and
Sleep apnea is defined as a reduction or cessation of breathing during sleep. The three types of sleep apnea are central apnea, obstructive apnea (OSA),
Male breast cancer accounts for 1% of all breast cancers, and most cases are found in men between the ages of 60 and 70. A man's risk of developing breast
Male sexual dysfunction can be caused by physical or psychological problems. Common sexual problems in men include erectile dysfunction (impotence or ED),
Fatigue can be described in various ways. Sometimes fatigue is described as feeling a lack of energy and motivation (both mental and physical). The causes
Date rape drugs such as GHB, rohypnol, and ketamine are sometimes used to assist in a sexual assault. Symptoms and signs of intoxication by one of these
Hydrocele is a collection of clear fluid in a thin walled sack that also contains the testicle. Hydroceles are more common in males than females. There
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH or enlarged prostate) is very common in men over 50 years of age. This noncancerous enlargement of the prostate can impede
Male menopause refers to the decline in testosterone production in men. As men age, they often experience many of the same symptoms that women experience
Learn more about cavities including symptoms, treatment, and prevention. See how tooth decay, plaque, and bacteria contribute to the creation of cavities
There are many types of urinary incontinence (UI), which is the accidental leakage of urine. These types include stress incontinence, urge incontinence,
Just about everybody masturbates. Masturbation itself is the self-stimulation of the male or female genitals to achieve sexual pleasure or arousal to the
Hemoglobin is the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.
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