Male Healthcare Avoidance Syndrome

We’re seeing many other lifestyle choices that trigger health issues. One of the most basic harbingers of health, preventive healthcare, is often overlooked. Once young men are no longer under the watchful eyes of parents and the family doctor, they tend to ignore regular wellness checks and standard tests that could provide early warning signs of serious health concerns, like cardiovascular disease, stroke colorectal, prostate and testicular cancer, and diabetes. Disorders like depression are often untreated in men, who fail to consult a doctor for what they deem an emotional issue.

Men tend to wait to see a healthcare provider until a disease or condition has progressed to the point of hampering their day-to-day activities; a woman, on the other hand, is far more likely to maintain a regular schedule of recommended wellness visits, including annual check-ups and mammograms. ‘A big factor is the ‘don’t fix it until its broken’ approach that many men have towards their bodies and health, which means they do not regularly seek health advice, and which puts them at greater risk of diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, at an early age,’ explains Dr. Steve Hambleton, vice president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA). ’Being complacent and not seeking help from a family doctor will not make men’s health problems go away.’

During certain life changes, men are more likely to seek medical help for general and preventive care: once they become parents and when they reach the age of 50. Both of these times translate to a looming sense of mortality that is often ignored by the male population. A woman, with a biological ticking clock, seems to be much more in tune with her bodily changes - and symptoms - at an earlier age than her male counterpart.

Chiropractic care can be a suitable measure for preventative health care measures for men considering nerve flow is an important factor in degeneration and the aging process. Nerve interference and spinal subluxation can lead to chronic problems limiting physical movement and the flow of nerve impulses throughout the nervous system. With optimal nerve flow all systems in the body benefit. Muscle tension can be reduced, cardiovascular capacity maximized, blood flow optimized, and the metabolic system kept engaged. Chiropractic provides an opportunity for the body to work as it was designed, but, the key in the case of an aging male is to commence preventative wellness care and maintain it. In clinic this ‘tweaking’ is an important factor in maintaining men’s health.