Men have been urged to be aware of certain diabetes 'red flag' signs that are often ignored or brushed off as not anything serious.
A leading doctor has said that men are 'burying their heads in the sand' when it comes to diabetes and not getting the help and healthcare that is needed to treat it.
New stats released by private healthcare clinic Pall Mall show that just six out of every one hundred men would even suspect they had diabetes, not making the connection to three symptoms that they may have.
Wales Online reports that extreme fatigue, an urge to urinate frequently and a dry mouth are common signs of the condition which affects more than five million people in the UK.
And Pall Mall has released the data to raise awareness of how men can sometimes be ignorant when it comes to their health.
“Men are notorious for neglecting their health,” said medical director Dr Chun Tang.
“Unfortunately for many males, it’s much a case of burying heads in the sand when it comes to self-care, and it is commonplace that they ignore the red flag warning signs in regard to their health.
“If diabetes symptoms are detected early, the condition may be managed with meds and can even be reversed with lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet and regular exercise,” added Dr Tang.
“However, if type 2 goes undiagnosed for years it can lead to extremely serious health consequences including the loss of limbs and even death.”
Dr Tang and his colleagues commissioned the survey by Onepoll who asked 1,000 men different questions about their health.
It was also revealed that nearly two thirds of men (61%) wouldn't realise something was wrong even if they stopped breathing.
Asked what physical signs might point to a serious health issue, only 39% agreed ‘if it stopped me from breathing’.
In total, 84% of men admitted they didn't keep tabs on their health, with just 16% saying that they 'look after themselves'.
“Our survey reveals just how many risk being left in health’s last-chance saloon,” added Dr Tang.
Findings also showed 69% would not recognise if they were having a stroke and 61% don’t know the symptoms of a heart attack.
Meanwhile, 83% of men wouldn't bother getting a lump checked out, which could indicate that they had cancer.
And 70% percent would not seek medical advice even if their significant other recommended it.
In terms of mental health, 85% wouldn't know if they had a problem or not.
“It’s certainly a concern that men are so in the dark about both physical and mental well-being,” added Dr Tang.
“The earlier you get something checked out, the sooner something can be done about it.”
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