THE Health Issue All Men In Their 20s Need To Worry About

Although all 20-something guys feel great, exuberant and their body handles all the drinking, smoking, and who-knows-what-else pretty well, these young stallions tend to forget that all these now-fun choices eventually come back to bite them somewhere down the road.

This is why Dr. Ted Epperly, M.D., a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Washington Medical School, warns all young guys to take care of themselves early on as there are many serious health conditions that are most likely to strike now.

So, what’s the number 1 health hazard to be on the lookout for?

TESTICULAR CANCER

Typically, if you are a guy in your 20s, you are probably not worried about The Big C. However, the numbers suggest that certain forms of cancer are likely to show up during your 20s.

“Testicular cancer is the most common solid organ malignancy in younger men, and it often shows up during a man’s 20s,” warns Dr. Mark Litwin, M.D., chair of urology at UCLA Medical Center.

According to the American Cancer Society – 1 in 260 men is diagnosed with testicular cancer at some point in life – meaning regular self-examining should start while you’re in your 3rd decade of life.

“Do the self-exam in the shower where it’s warm and your scrotum will hang loose, and use soap so your fingers will slide easily over your testicles,” says Litwin.

How To Detect It

“You’re looking for a hard mass growing out of the testicle itself, not a lump in the scrotum or in the tube system running into your testicles,” Litwin continues. “What you’re looking for usually feels like a jagged rock, not something smooth.”

Should you detect something fishy, squeeze it – a cancerous mass tends not to hurt – and if you do find something, just don’t freak out.

“The prognosis is typically excellent,” Litwin says. “As far as cancers go, it’s one of the best you can get.” However, make sure you schedule an appointment with your urologist as soon as possible.