There are diseases that understand gender. Let’s see those that have a higher incidence in the male population.
Most diseases affect men and women equally. Especially those related to infections by pathogens, since they do not differentiate between whether the body they colonize is that of a man or a woman.
In any case, there are a series of disorders that, due to the existing biological differences between the sexes, have a higher incidence in the male population. Some of them are exclusive to men and others are simply more related to them, although women can also suffer from them.
Below we will detail what are the diseases typically related to men , detailing both their causes and their symptoms, as well as the treatments that we currently have.
Why are some diseases more common in men?
The bodies of men and women are different, as well as their physiology and metabolism. This means that, due to the biological differences between the two, there are diseases whose development is more likely in one of the two sexes.
Men are more likely to suffer from diseases linked to sex chromosomes , since they are XY and women, XX. This means that if the X chromosome has the wrong gene, it will express the genetic disease. Women, on the other hand, if they have an erroneous X chromosome, nothing will happen, since they will still have one left to “compensate” for the error.
In addition, there are a series of hormonal factors specific to each of the sexes that predispose to certain diseases. That is, men produce some hormones that increase the risk of suffering from some disorders that women, because their hormone production is different, will rarely suffer.
These and other genetic, anatomical, metabolic and physiological differences mean that there are diseases that, in a population, are diagnosed more frequently in men.
What are the most common diseases in men?
In today’s article we present the disorders that have a higher incidence among the male sex due to the biological characteristics of men.
Alopecia
Despite not being a disease as such, hair loss is a very common disorder in men . In fact, most of them will suffer from alopecia of greater or lesser severity as they get older.
The main cause is genetic inheritance, in addition to hormonal factors and everything related to lifestyle. Since most cases are due to genetics, there are usually no ways to prevent baldness.
Although there are treatments to prevent hair loss, before starting them it is important to consult a doctor.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is exclusive to men , since only men have this gland located near the bladder and that produces seminal fluid, a means to nourish and transport sperm. Every year 1.2 million new cases are diagnosed, making it the fourth most common cancer in the world.
Although the causes remain unclear, it is believed that its appearance could be due to a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. Obesity, older age, and family history are important risk factors.
The symptoms appear in advanced stages and are as follows: blood in the semen, erectile dysfunction, problems urinating, discomfort in the pelvic area, bone pain…
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer, although not exclusive to men, is more common in men . It is the third most common type of cancer in the world, with 1.8 million new cases diagnosed each year. It develops in the large intestine (colon), although it usually reaches the anal rectum.
The causes are still not entirely clear, although it is known that some hormonal factors typical of men, as well as a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcoholism, obesity, etc., increase the chances of suffering from it.
The most common symptoms are the following: diarrhea or constipation, changes in stool consistency, rectal bleeding, involuntary weight loss, fatigue and weakness, abdominal pain…
Hemophilia
Hemophilia is a blood disease in which the blood totally or partially loses its ability to coagulate since the person does not have the necessary coagulation proteins. Hemophilia is an inherited disease linked to the X chromosome , which explains why it is more frequent in men,
The most common symptoms of hemophilia are excessive bleeding after a cut (no matter how small), bleeding without an apparent cause, blood in the urine and/or stool, bruising, nosebleeds, joint pain…
The treatment consists of replacement therapy for coagulation proteins, that is, the necessary proteins are administered to the patient to ensure that the blood coagulates properly.
Fragile X syndrome
Fragile X syndrome is an inherited disease in which, due to a mutation on the X sex chromosome, the person does not have a specific gene. This gene is responsible for producing a protein essential for the correct development of the brain. Therefore, the disease presents with intellectual disability.
Being linked to the X chromosome, the incidence is much higher in men . Brain involvement can be more or less severe, although symptoms usually include: learning problems, problems socializing, aggressive behavior (in some cases), emotional disorders, speech problems…
The disease has no cure since it is of genetic origin. However, educational and behavioral therapy, along with the administration of medications, can help those affected have a better quality of life.
Myocardial infarction
Heart attacks are one of the most serious medical emergencies because if you don’t act immediately, the patient will die. These heart attacks are caused by a clot that blocks the arteries of the heart, those responsible for supplying blood and oxygen to this organ.
Men have heart attacks more often because they tend to have more cholesterol in their blood , which is due to many different causes, including genetics, hormonal factors, and lifestyle.
The treatment must be administered as quickly as possible and consists of an external supply of oxygen and the injection of drugs intravenously, in addition to defibrillator therapy if the medical team considers it necessary. Even so, given the difficulty for services to arrive on time, heart attacks are responsible for some 6.2 million deaths a year.
Orchitis
Orchitis is an exclusive disease of men since it consists of an inflammation of the testicles . It is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection (usually sexually), although the cause of this disorder is sometimes unknown.
Symptoms usually appear soon after infection and include: swelling of one or both testicles, pain (which can be severe), nausea and vomiting, general ill feeling, and sometimes fever.
Treatment depends on the cause of the orchitis. In the event that this is unknown or that it is due to a viral infection, the treatment will consist of relieving the symptoms, since it will be necessary to wait for the disease to remit on its own. If it is caused by a bacterial infection, the administration of antibiotics will cure it.
Prostatitis
Prostatitis is a urological disease exclusive to men, since only men have a prostate . Due to a bacterial infection, it is possible for the prostate to become inflamed, at which point we speak of prostatitis. However, there are times when the reason for the inflammation is unknown, in which case the causes are not very clear.
The most common symptoms of prostatitis are the following: pain when ejaculating and urinating, cloudy urine, discomfort in the testicles, constant need to urinate, hematuria (blood in the urine), abdominal pain…
If the cause of prostatitis is not known, it will be necessary to wait for the disease to resolve on its own, and anti-inflammatories may be prescribed to alleviate the symptoms. If it is due to a bacterial infection, antibiotics usually cure it effectively.
Obesity
Obesity is a disease that is especially common in men and that goes far beyond “having a few extra kilos” . It is a true global pandemic and it is a disorder that, due to the excessive accumulation of fat in the organs and tissues of the body, can lead to very serious health problems.
Obesity is one of the leading causes of death in the world, as it is more or less directly responsible for the development of diabetes, heart disease, kidney and liver disorders, hypertension and even different types of cancer.
In this case, it is essential not to have to apply treatments, as it would mean that these diseases caused by obesity have arisen. Therefore, the best weapon is prevention. Obesity is an easily preventable disease by eating a healthy and balanced diet, exercising, controlling your weight and, if necessary, taking medications that help you lose weight.
Balanitis
Balanitis is another exclusive disease of men, as it consists of an inflammation of the foreskin and glans penis . The most common cause of balanitis is poor intimate hygiene, which makes the area more likely to become infected.
Balanitis causes redness in the area, pain, rashes on the glans, foul-smelling secretions from the tip of the penis, etc. It is more common among men who are not circumcised, so circumcision is a good way to prevent its development.
Treatment will depend on the cause of the balanitis. As it is generally caused by bacteria that infect the tip of the penis, treatment with antibiotic ointments is usually effective. In case the cause is unknown, the symptoms can simply be relieved by taking anti-inflammatories while waiting for it to subside on its own.