Dunedin urologist Dr Alastair Hepburn says he was drawn to specialise in urology because of the patients.
''The patients in urology are generally really grateful for the treatment,'' he said.
As well, Dr Hepburn said, for most of patients, ''you'll usually find a diagnosis, and 99% of the time, you'll be able to offer them treatment''.
But the problem was many men would not come to see Dr Hepburn in the first place.
That was the issue that men's health week - June 8 to 14 this year - was designed to address.
''It's especially important that we do talk [and] think about men's health, so that mean feel more comfortable talking to their doctor ... about their health problems,'' Dr Hepburn said.
Any issue, if left untreated, could develop into a serious problem, he said.
One of the most common - and potentially serious - issues he saw was patients who had blood in their urine.
''That is never normal,'' Dr Hepburn said.
But often, unless men were in pain, he said, they would not go to the doctor, either because they were too ''stoic'', or too busy.
That was why initiatives like men's health week were important.
''Certain things become more difficult to treat [with time], and sometimes they become impossible to treat, which is always incredibly heartbreaking for all concerned, when [in] fact, that timely intervention would've made such a difference.''
