Men’s Health & Chiropractic

By Dr. Aaron Dutruch D.C.

In general, men have a hard time making it to doctor unless something is wrong, going to the Chiropractor is no exception. The main reasons guys come in to see us is because they need some help with neck pain, back pain or headaches. Today I’ll be discussing some ways to alleviate these common ailments, along with how nutrition can impact men’s health.

The way I like to explain pain is that ‘‘pain” is your bodies “check engine light”, and just like in your vehicle, it turns on when structures can no longer compensate and start to break down.

Neck pain and headaches are often found together and can be caused by several things. Most commonly, I find that increased tension within the joints and muscles of the neck and upper back are the primary culprit. Repetitive or sustained actions like working at a computer fatigue these muscles. If you have a desk job, make sure to take breaks and be mindful of your posture while working. Lower back pain can be a bit more complicated to diagnose without an in-person consultation. However, a good starting point for reducing or limiting lower back pain is to stretch the hamstrings and hip flexors. Tight hamstrings and hip flexors cause the pelvis to tilt forward and can jam the joints in the lower back together and increase pain. Another way to help limit lower back pain is by working to increase your core control. The core muscles of the abdomen act like a counterweight for your back muscles. If the core is weak or fatigues easily, it causes the lower back muscles to have to compensate. This can lead to chronic tension, pain and disc degeneration.

Changing up the way you approach your daily nutrition can greatly impact your overall health. When talking about nutrition for men’s health a few supplements come to mind. The few that I will discuss today are vitamin D, Magnesium, Omega 3’s and B12. Vitamin D not only helps you to build stronger bones, but it also plays a role

in heart health. Some studies have suggested that it may also help with testosterone production. Magnesium also plays a role in the production of testosterone and can reduce muscle tension and lead to more restful sleep. Omega 3’s can help to decrease inflammation throughout the body and reduces the risk of heart disease. Most people are aware that B vitamins are important for energy production but B12 specifically is great for brain function and can help fight that “brain fog” we all experience from time to time.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of what could be causing your pain or what supplements you should take. It’s to serve as a steppingstone to wellness and give you an idea of how to start feeling better. Health is more than just a number on a scale (pain scale or other) and if you are looking to find some help on your journey, you don’t have to wait until it becomes a major problem, just reach out to a professional near you and let’s get started!

Dr. Aaron Dutruch D. C. received his BS in Kinesiology, Fitness and Human Performance from LSU and his Doctorate of Chiropractic from Texas Chiropractic College. He is proficient in Upper Cervical chiropractic care and is a certified FAKTR provider.