{"id":2789,"date":"2019-01-12T14:31:10","date_gmt":"2019-01-12T19:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/menshealth\/?p=2789"},"modified":"2025-10-17T13:14:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T17:14:27","slug":"mens-health-timeline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/urology\/mens-health\/2019\/01\/mens-health-timeline\/","title":{"rendered":"Men\u2019s Health Timeline"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pop quiz, for men: What\u2019s your doctor\u2019s name?<\/h2>\n

Wait, you do have a doctor, right?<\/p>\n

Too many men don\u2019t have a family physician and don\u2019t get regular checkups. This problem is especially bad among younger men\"-Culley C. Carson III, MD<\/p><\/div>\n

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Between ages 18 and 30, healthy men should see a doctor every two to three years. Men 30 and older should go annually.<\/p>\n

“The majority of men don\u2019t see a physician until they get sick or have some significant problem in their 40s, 50s or 60s. To some extent, there\u2019s a denial of the need for physicians. That\u2019s part of the problem – a macho feeling that there\u2019s nothing a physician can do for you.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On the contrary, well-patient visits are critical to a healthy life, mostly because they are a chance to catch health issues early.<\/p>\n

For example, discovering hypertension in your 30s or 40s might allow your doctor to intervene and decrease the chances of sudden death or cardiac issues later.<\/p>\n

“Even if you\u2019re not sick, if you\u2019re a male in your 30s or 40s, you absolutely should have annual visits.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With health, many things are connected. Issues such as sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction can signal a high risk of future cardiac problems. If you experience these conditions, you should tell your doctor during a regular checkup. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. In fact,\u00a01 in 4 people die of heart disease\u00a0every year.<\/p>\n

The primary reasons for having checkups change as you get older. Even when you\u2019re under 18 and seeing a pediatrician, well-patient visits can help doctors assess things like early-onset diabetes, risk-taking behavior, and substance abuse.<\/p>\n

These issues never become irrelevant to men.<\/p>\n

“Men are much more likely to die from accidents resulting from risk-taking behavior than women and men are much\u00a0more likely to die from suicide.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Men\u2019s Health Timeline<\/h2>\n

So what are the key health issues men should address at different ages? Use this timeline as a guide.<\/p>\n

All Ages<\/h3>\n

During regular checkups, your doctor will evaluate you for:<\/p>\n