Grow your mustache for a good cause this Movember

If you notice more friends and neighbors sporting mustaches around NOLA this November, it’s not just a style statement. Around the globe, men are celebrating Movember, a campaign to raise awareness for men’s health. Joining the cause is easy—grow a mustache.

Movember puts your mustache to work

Movember started in 2003 when two friends were looking for a way to raise awareness about men’s health. Twenty years later, more than six million men grow a mustache in November to raise funds and start conversations about:

• Men’s mental health and suicide prevention
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular cancer

Add length to your life

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that makes fluid for semen. It sits between your bladder and rectum. Most men have prostate issues as they age. Many prostate conditions aren’t cancerous, but prostate cancer is common. More than one in 10 men will get this type of cancer during their lifetime. Prostate cancer is usually diagnosed later in life, with about three in 10 cases diagnosed between age 55 and 64 and six in 10 diagnosed at age 65 or older.

There’s no question that early detection and treatment can add years of life. When prostate cancer is detected and treated before it spreads to other parts of the body, there’s a 100% 5-year relative survival rate. If cancer has spread, that number drops to about 34%.

Certain factors may raise your risk of prostate cancer, including:

• Being African American or Caribbean with African ancestry
• Being age 50 or older
• Having a family history of prostate cancer

Get to know your boys

It’s vital to know your risks and stay ahead of the game with an annual wellness exam and regular self-exams.

Young men have the highest risk of getting testicular cancer. Eight in 10 men with testicular cancer are under 45 and more than five out of 10 are between ages 20 and 34.

Pay attention to testicular cancer symptoms, including:

• A painless lump in one of your testicles
• An ache in your lower back, lower belly or where your belly meets your thigh
• Changes in how your testicles feel
• Discomfort or pain in your scrotum or testicle
• Sudden fluid buildup in your scrotum
• Swelling in one testicle

Show strength by speaking up this Movember

Many men are reluctant to talk about their emotions or mental health, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling internally. Around 75% of people who die by suicide are men. Substance abuse is also more common in men.

Symptoms of mental health issues are sometimes different in men and women. Common signs of mental health concerns in men are:

• Anger or aggression
• Body aches, headaches or stomach issues for no known reason
• Challenges with concentration
• Chronic stress or worry
• Difficulty feeling positive emotions or a tendency to feel flat or numb
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Too much or too little sleep

A lot of men think asking for help with mental health concerns or even starting a conversation with their primary care provider is a sign of weakness. However, being able to speak up when you’re not feeling well mentally takes a lot of courage and strength. Plus, getting support puts you in a better position to show up for the people in your life who matter the most.

If you’re in crisis, the 988 Lifeline offers support 24/7. Veterans can also call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 then pressing one.

Want to learn more and take control of your health this Movember? Make an appointment with an East Jefferson General Hospital primary care provider.