Prostate
“For men, once they are over 50, prostate problems can start, and prostate cancer is another of those silent illnesses. Many men put problems in that department down to ‘old man’s prostate’, but it can be a lot more serious than that. There’s some debate over the PSA blood test, but it is a screening test and it will show if you have got a malignancy.

“When it comes to warning signs, unexplained weight loss should always be checked out. Unexplained tiredness is another, as well as persistent headaches and blood in the water or blood in the motions. Blood in the water, in particular, must be checked out.

“If you bruise for no reason, that should be investigated, and you should also look out for signs of jaundice, such as yellowish tinges to the skin and eyes. Any change in bowel habits should also be looked into. Don’t be worried if you don’t go once a day or three times a week, it’s whatever is usual for you, but any deviation from that should be checked out.

Discomfort
“Women should also be aware that any unusual vaginal bleeding should be checked, especially in the over 50s. Women should also inspect their breasts regularly, and not just for lumps, but for the appearance of things like nipple retraction, puckering of the skin, and any discomfort.”

You can visit Dr Henderson’s website at: www.DrHenderson.co.uk

Michael Hennin

Case Study: Michael Hennin

“Checking my blood pressure put me on the road to recovery”

Several years ago, after having an angiogram that showed a slight narrowing of his arteries, Michael Hennin was told to take aspirin to thin his blood. He was later put on beta-blockers for high blood pressure, but suffered bouts of dizziness. Various other combinations of drugs were tried, but without any obvious success.

It was at this stage that a relative gave him a watch-type blood pressure monitor that measured blood pressure through the pulse in his wrist. “I started taking readings, but they were very erratic,” says Michael. “Sometimes they would be very high, then they would go right back down again. I made a chart to record the readings, and took my blood pressure twice a day, in the morning and afternoon.”