Men are notorious for putting off health screenings or routine physical exams. We often joke about their reluctance to seek medical treatment, but it’s not a laughing matter, according to physicians.

“It’s a common notion that men are reluctant patients,” says SIU urologist Dr. Kevin McVary. “Often it’s the spouse or family member who brings them in. In fact, most men’s appointments are made by their spouses.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, men are also more likely than women to smoke, drink alcohol and make other unhealthy choices. These poor lifestyle choices can lead to health problems such as diabetes, infertility and erectile dysfunction. Despite advice from medical professionals, men are also less likely to adopt preventative measures to avoid certain health risks. The result of these bad behaviors: cancer and heart disease rank as the top two killers of American men.

It may indeed take something wrong with the penis to get a man to see a doctor, but men who take greater control of their lifestyle and pay attention to their bodies’ signals can have a dramatic, positive influence on their health — long before it reaches a level of emergency.

Stay tuned for a series of blogs on men’s health topics over the next few weeks. You can also read our latest edition of aspects magazine for more articles on the ways SIU is helping men toward optimum health by addressing and treating their urological problems, prostate cancer and sexual health.