THE HIDDEN FEAR OF THE LATINO MACHO MAN

THE HIDDEN FEAR OF THE MACHO MAN

Today, I would like to talk about why so many men hide any pain associated with their bodies behind a stiff upper lip. According to our local Mexican/American Dr. Randolph Clarke who has his medical practice here in Antioch. Men do tend to keep any medical problems to themselves when it comes to their colon, testicles or the prostate gland. This is a serious problem that Dr. Clarke wants to make sure that men should never ignore.

Men do fear getting cancer in these places, and they are the very first ones to shrink from talking about it. Men don’t want to show any weakness at all. Men in general even feel that they are showing weakness by just asking about it. Call it what you may, machismo, or ignorance but most men feel it is a threat to their manhood, it’s embarrassing and there’s a sense of denial when the symptoms are so obvious.

When it comes to prostate cancer we must acknowledge that it brings with it concern on two major subjects, incontinence and sexual function, and men tend to find it very, very difficult to talk about this to anyone. Dr. Clarke feels that the medical profession has not done a good job in educating the men. Especially because the women is the top consumer when it comes to health care.

Doctor Clarke explained that most men and especially Latino men are the apposite of women since most prefer to be in denial instead of asking questions & taking tests. He feels that some of it might be cultural and some of it is from fear of hearing any bad news. Dr. Clarke went further by stating that most Latino men don’t like to show weakness, they consider themselves strong and they hide their pain by not complaining about it.

Many times you pattern yourself after a parent or in my case a grandfather who didn’t miss work, never complained and didn’t take the time to go to a Doctor; I admit.. I keep telling myself I will go to one when I turn 50 or 55” he added with a chuckle. Dr. Clarke stated to me that most of the overlook symptoms are usually related to heart disease. Many men expect me to “put out the fire after it had been burning for so long”, they will come in to my office complaining of indigestion which they have overlooked for a very long time, they themselves conclude that it is not serious and by the time I get them tested it has become a crisis with problems such us hypertension, angina, very high cholesterol, or some other serious ailment.

It becomes so important for men, and I mean all men (you macho guys included) to get a colon cancer check up, a prostate, diabetes, and blood pressure tests and check up by age 50. (Don’t forget that for yourself Dr. Clarke). Medical assistant Patricia Dilks from El Salvador really feels that man in general are just “stubborn” she feels that man refuse to go for a physical even when they have obvious symptoms like chest pains and painful urination, “mainly because they are afraid to admit that something could be wrong”.

Dr. Clarke would like to see more non-traditional doctors like himself become role models in their community and would encourage children and parents to get know more about the medical profession so that more Latinos can enter the medical schools in the future. Since he feels that the medical establishment has not done its part to date to encourage more Latino young men and women to get more involved in the medical profession. He also feels that it’s difficult for a Latino men to go see a Doctor that they don’t feel connected to because of their cultural differences and or language. With the name Randolph Clarke I know many of you might not have ever guessed that Dr. Clarke is a proud Mexican American who grew up in Contra Costa County with parents that worked at the steel mill and at the cannery, however with his desire to achieve he has climbed the success ladder to help his community as a Doctor. He enjoys speaking Spanish when he needs to and gives his patients the time to answer all their questions.

This is my first article two articles that will discuss the so called Latino macho man. This one of course is in the direction of allowing us to ask ourselves some questions regarding our health. Remember Macho or not, your life may depend on it. So take the step to find out what has been bothering you and follow thru on getting it diagnosed.

In this great high tech medical era and with all the types of medicine that can cure us, or at least make us feel better, it becomes important to visit a Doctor so that maybe we can catch up with the women who statistically live 8 years longer than us. So what are you waiting for? Call a doctor today and get yourself a complete check up and don't be so macho to forget to mention the real concern you have to the Doctor.