The questions doctors want you to ask them

TELEVISION'S DR PUNAM KRISHAN REVEALS WHAT THINGS MEN OVER THE AGE OF 60 SHOULD BRING UP WHEN VISITING THEIR GP. BY ELLA WALKER

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GROWING older might be a privilege, but it can also be a pain - physically and metaphorically speaking.

Seeking help for all those aches and grumbles can be low on the priority list. You might just put up with symptoms, or avoid the GP, even when you really need to go.

Research by men's healthcare company Numan found nearly two-fifths of men don't bother going to the doctor because they can't get an appointment, and 31% don't want to cause a fuss, so don't make appointments in the first place.

"Men are a bit more likely to just ignore things or try to push through changes, and that's why we do encourage - especially after the age of 40, 50 - to have a regular check-in," says Dr Punam Krishan, who makes regular appearances on BBC Morning Live and competed on last year's Strictly Come Dancing.

If you're aged 40 to 74 and don't have a pre-existing health condition, your GP should invite you for a NHS Health Check every five years.

There are some things you should ask your GP about as soon as possible though, whatever your age.

For instance: poor sleep, sudden, unexplained weight loss, loneliness, ongoing pain, high stress levels, low energy and mood, not being able to enjoy the things you normally would.

But there are also questions you should specifically ask your GP when you are in your 60s...

'IS THIS JUST NATURAL AGEING? OR IS SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON?'

"Once we reach our 60s, the most important thing to do is not dismiss the changes in our bodies as just getting older," says Dr Krishan, a health expert for Stannah.

"One of the biggest things I encourage people to talk to their GP about is mobility. Are you finding stairs harder? Are you walking more slowly? Are you in pain? Are you needing to steady yourself on furniture around the house?

"Maybe you're avoiding carrying laundry. Are you being a bit more careful when the weather is bad?