When Evan Goldstein, MD, founded his Bespoke Surgical practice in NYC, it was built on understanding and education. His approach to healthcare for gay men and members of all identities is all about being thoughtful, proactive, and consistent. As a nationally renowned anal surgeon, Dr. Goldstein focused on bringing awareness to several key issues he shares below.
Know what a pap smear is and get one
A study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, anal cancer rates have been increasing across the United States. The overall incidence of anal cancer increased by 2.7-percent per year, and mortality jumped by 3.1-percent each year between 2001-2015. Like other cancers, the best way to effectively prevent the problem is to catch cancer before it happens.
Dr. Goldstein encourages patients to have a male pap smear test once yearly as part of an overall health screening protocol. Quick and painless, the procedure normally involves two swabs. The first swab will test if the patient has a low or high risk of HPV. The second swab will see if the anal cells have any cell changes. “While no one loves the process, it’s an extremely helpful procedure to ensure your health is at its best,” says Dr. Goldstein.
Understand who would benefit from pelvic floor exercises
Many people have heard of pelvic floor exercises for women, but men might not know that it can help them too. Some of the symptoms caused by issues with the pelvic floor include rectal pain, erectile dysfunction, and incontinence. The patient needs to ask questions and get to the cause of their issue since many physicians don’t know how to treat male pelvic floor dysfunction. When done correctly, these exercises can treat and help prevent pelvic floor issues such as urinary incontinence and help with post-surgical recovery.
Ultimately, pelvic floor therapy helps the patient by giving him control of the pelvic floor, which includes the muscles, tendons, connective tissues, nerves, and ligaments that lay like a hammock between the tailbone and the pubic bone. While it can take six to eight weeks to feel a difference, men often experience improvement sooner.
Why a high fiber diet is important
We often hear that high-fiber foods should be a staple in a person’s diet. But it can be difficult to eat enough fiber from the foods we eat on an average day. Dr. Goldstein recommends increasing fiber intake with a combination of food, pills, or powder. This is a great tip for everyone, but for those that engage in anal sex, it’s even more important. As part of Dr. Goldstein’s approach to education and greater understanding, he has touted that “a good diet will do most of the cleaning work for you.” The Bespoke Surgical website explains, “When you consciously make fiber a part of your daily regimen, you’ll reach a point where the most important step of your cleaning regimen is simply using the bathroom and quickly rinsing off. Your body will get rid of mostly everything in a very natural way, without disrupting the pH balance of your rectum.”
Featured Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash
