Mens Health Week 2013 - DIY MOT

Here are a few DIY tests you can carry out at home; you need absolutely no medical knowledge whatsoever and little more equipment than a tape measure. These simple test could identify a health issue that needs thorough investigation - so, don't bury your head in the sand, ask yourself these questions:

1.Are you breathless? Difficulty catching your breath or losing balance while dressing are signs of being unfit. This can lead to injury and put added pressure on the heart. Get exercising and stub out those cigarettes.

2.Do you have pains in his chest or legs? Check your pulse rate. If it's racing or irregular or you get dizzy when standing up quickly, then your heart may be under strain.

3.Are you consuming large amounts of saturated fats? A mixed diet containing fruit and veg and foods with omega-3 oils (such as fatty fish) can help to reduce heart disease risk.

4.Are you thirsty all the time? Check to see if there is a history of diabetes in your family.

5.Do you have unusual-looking moles? Look for changes in size and colour. Ask your partner to look in areas you can't see easily, like your back.

6.Are you waking up in the night? If you can't sleep, lack concentration and are snappy, it could be depression.

7.Do you have erection problems? Impotence can be due to a physical problem - such as diabetes or hypertension - or emotional problem. One in ten men suffers from impotence. But 75 per cent of erectile dysfunction is due to a physical not emotional problem. If you have an erection when sleeping, the problem is probably emotional not physical. See your GP.

8.Are you getting a gut? Weight usually goes on the midriff first and this is a risk factor in heart disease. The rounder a man is around the tum, the greater the possibility of heart disease and diabetes.

9.Have you lumps in your testicles? Women can spot the problem first, often during sex. You don't need to conduct medical examinations during lovemaking but you may notice differences while having a feel. Squeeze them gently. Look out for a hard lump on the front or side of a testicle, swelling or enlargement, an increase in firmness and any difference between one and the other.

10.Does you always need to pee? Frequent urination, having to rush to the loo or even not being able to go at all, can indicate a prostate problem. If you often need the loo several times during the night, see your GP.

Mens Health Forum