Men Avoiding the Doctor Prolong Misery

Guys who think they are too "macho" to seek medical help could end up making more trips to the doctor's office in the long run.

"A man who waits to see a physician until his problem has become more severe might need medical attention for a longer period of time," said Jeffrey Steinbauer, M.D., director of Baylor College of Medicine's family medicine clinic in Houston.

A number of men still seem reluctant to go to the doctor. Less than 30 percent of patients seen at family medicine clinics nationwide are male, Steinbauer said.

Left untreated, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can lead to complications that require hospitalizations or repeated visits to a physician. Such chronic problems are usually detected early in men who see their physician regularly.

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