Reno Dads

Men’s Health Month

June is Men’s Health Month, something we care deeply about here at Reno Dads. When we think about our health, it’s important to talk about some things that might not be the easiest things to discuss, but it’s sometimes necessary to get into these topics. As dads, we know that our most important responsibility is to care for and protect our families — but you can’t do that if you’re not taking good care of yourself, and that’s where Dr. Angelo Kanellos and his colleagues at Nevada Urology come in. We sat down with Dr. Kanellos to talk about prostate health and how men can take a more proactive role in managing their health, specifically when it comes to this

What do Urologists Do, Exactly?

Dr. Kanellos gave us a quick run down on the things that urologists typically care for — basically, the “what’s left” of your anatomy — the lower half of your torso. From there. we talked about when men might start thinking about getting checked for prostate issues. Most of the time, according to Dr. Kanellos, there aren’t many symptoms or problems until men reach the age of 55 or older. But the guidance these days is to at least get a PSA screening as part of your normal blood work — something most men should start doing in their 50s. Depending on your family’s history, of course, men might start that screening earlier.

PSA Test – A Brief History

Dr. Kanellos went through a quick backgrounder on what the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test is (and isn’t), and why, for a few years, it fell out of the list of required blood tests. The bottom line is that men should probably have it as part of their normal check ups, since it is an early indicator of risk. It’s not necessarily a cancer diagnosis, but something a doctor can use to gauge the level of risk an individual has with regard to their prostate health.

Taking Ownership of your Health

After learning a bit about urology as a medical practice, and then more about the PSA test, we asked Dr. Kanellos about his thoughts and recomendations for our Reno Dads. He said that it’s really up to each individual to take charge of their health and manage it proactively. Know which tests are being ordered by your doctor, and ask questions about what your doctor is looking for. Most importantly, recognize that it’s not just you as an individual that can be impacted by a change in your health or a failure to detect something early. Your family is counting on you to take care of yourself and taking care of your health includes checkin that prostate!

More Links:

* What is the Prostate? (WebMD)

* PSA Test (WebMD)

* Nevada Urology

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