“Out of sight, out of mind.”
“What you don’t know can’t hurt you.”
Two powerful old-school statements that are used to protect our egos from reality. When it comes to health issues, neither statement has any wisdom. In fact, what you don’t pay attention to can cause great harm if left unmanaged.
Typically, healthcare comes from the standpoint of treating illnesses, diseases, and injuries as they come up. A reaction to a problem rather than preventing problems. While there is nothing wrong with seeking medical interventions when sickness or injury is present, there are great benefits to preventing injuries and illnesses before they happen.
There are many reasons that people do not seek medical help:
- Lack of education on the benefits of medical care
- No access to medical care
- No insurance or income for medical care
- Religious beliefs
- Influences in the media
- Cultural beliefs
- And more…
No matter the reason, the results can be dire. The risks you take when you don’t see a doctor can be catastrophic, even deadly! One Instagram account, Nicole Angemi, MS, PA @mrs_angemi hosts an educational account that features the devastating realities for men, women, and children who do not seek medical care. Amongst her posts of medical mysteries, freak accidents, and diseases, are autopsies and other posts about preventable diseases that went undiagnosed and/or untreated. Angemi regularly shares that the predominant reasons people do not seek medical care are ignorance, income, or lack of access to medical care.
What are the risks you take when you don’t see a doctor?
Increased risk of preventable illness and disease- Whether you have annual exams and specialized screenings or seek medical care when prompted by illness or injury, seeing the physician is the best way to prevent or recover. When you don’t see a physician, you increase the risks for developing preventable diseases or illnesses.
Things like:
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Bone density issues
- And more…
Many diseases and malfunctions within the systems of the body have few or no warning signs and lack of education can prevent the warning signs from being effective. Not seeing the physician can cause permanent damage from preventable issues.
Increased risk of hurting others- There is an increase of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children. While the reasoning behind this decision is up for debate, the result of not vaccinating children is undeniable. Children who have not been immunized against communicable disease are themselves at risk and put other members of the population at risk as well. Diseases like polio, measles, and other public health issues can easily affect the young, the frail, and those with compromised immune systems.
Men and women with untreated STD (sexually transmitted diseases) can infect others when they have unprotected sex. Not seeking proper medical treatment for an STD can create an epidemic of infected people as well as cause sterilization and other reproductive illnesses.
Needless suffering- Untreated illnesses, diseases, and injuries can morph into far worse issues. Ignoring, avoiding, or not treating an issue can cause pain and suffering that is needless and preventable. Not seeing a physician can leave you and those who care for you or rely on you in great pains as well. Lost days of work, chronic illness, and permanent disability may be in the forecast without treatment.
Early mortality- The fact is, untreated illnesses, diseases, and injuries can reduce life span. From prevention to treatment, seeing a physician can prolong lifespan and give the best quality of life regardless of any diagnosis.
There is great risk from not seeing a doctor. Being prevention-minded and seeking medical care when illness and injury occur is the best way to prevent needless suffering and prolong a better quality of life.
See the other articles in the series:
