Doctor Oz did a show on the Unexpected Diseases Men Get. Did you know that men can get Breast Cancer and Lupus, diseases that are commonly thought of as “women’s diseases.” Dr Oz gave us the warning signs that men need to know and look for.
Male Breast Cancer
Dr Oz was joined by Dr. David Katz and Robert, a man who survived from stage 3 breast cancer. Dr Oz said that a man’s breast has glandular tissue and when cancer forms in the breast, it can suck down on the tissue and skin causing a dimpling effect in the skin. Breast Cancer is of course much more common in women, for every man who gets Breast Cancer, 100 women get Breast Cancer. But it is important that men still check for it, because you won’t find it early if you don’t check! In both men and women there is a huge genetic component to Breast Cancer. The BRCA genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) can put you at a higher risk for getting Breast Cancer.
Breast Cancer in Men: Warning Signs
1. Lump in the breast area
2. Discharge from the nipple
3. Inverted nipple
Dr Oz said the reason that you can get an inverted nipple is because cancer can suck down on the tissue and cause it to invert. A good way to get used to what a lump in a breast could feel like is to put a chickpea under a sponge and feel the chickpea through the sponge. If you feel a lump in your breast, go to a doctor right away and get a Mammogram!
Male Breast Cancer Self Exam
Dr Oz made a good point, which is that women are trained to do breast exams each month, but men are never taught how. It is very easy men! Here are some steps to follow:
- Put your left hand up in the shower
- Soap up your breast area
- Put your right hand on your breast like you are doing the pledge of allegiance to the flag
- Move around with three fingers in a rolling movement in a circular motion… as Dr Oz said, its kind of like mowing the grass, you don’t want to miss a spot!
Male Lupus
Dr Oz said that men can get Lupus as well, which I certainly was shocked to hear. When you hear about Lupus, you definitely think of a woman’s disease. Dr Oz brought a man on his show who started getting signs of Lupus when he was 23. He had severe pain in his joints, he gained weight, had trouble breathing, and eventually went to the emergency room and was on the verge of cardiac arrest. His kidneys had shut down from Lupus, which is why he had gained weight. His lungs were filled with fluid, which explained the trouble breathing. He spent three months in the hospital fighting Lupus, but luckily he did not need dialysis.
Dr Oz explained what Lupus does to your body. Usually, when you get bacteria in your blood stream, the bacteria attack to your body’s cells but your body makes antibodies and white blood cells kill off the bacteria. But what happens if your body mistakes bacteria for one of you body’s cells? Then you have Lupus and it starts to kill different parts of your body.
Lupus in Men: Warning Signs
- Increased Fatigue
- Extreme Joint Pain
- Butterfly Rash on your face
Lupus is an autoimmune disease, hence the different warning signs.
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