Well, we’ve just had Wimbledon… and it’s not just tennis balls causing drama this summer.
At the Midlife Health Conference, two talks tackled taboo territory from opposite ends of the hormonal spectrum. One focused on menopause, the other on testicular cancer and male hormonal collapse.
On paper, they couldn’t be more different. But beneath the biology, they reveal strikingly similar truths about how midlife hormones can upend lives — physically, emotionally, and socially — and how many patients slip through the cracks.
The Menopause Maze
Dr Clair Crocket, from Newson Health, shared data from the Balance app:
- 47 million women reach menopause each year worldwide.
- 79% visit their GP about symptoms.
- 7% have to go more than 10 times before getting help.
- 44% wait over a year for treatment; 12% wait more than five years.
- Workplace impact:
- 59% take time off.
- 12% resign entirely.
- Estimated £10 billion economic cost.
Clair described:
“Women describe feeling like strangers in their own bodies — learning who they are all over again.”
Yet, from a clinical perspective, much of the content was fairly standard — important, but not especially groundbreaking.
It’s a timely reminder that menopause symptoms are widespread and diverse — affecting not only hot flushes but mood, sleep, joint pain, fatigue, cognition, and exercise tolerance. As clinicians, we should be vigilant in recognising these symptoms and considering how they might influence our approach to treating women, especially in midlife.
The Testicular Truth Bomb
Then came Philip Morris MBE, founder of Testicular Cancer UK. His session was both deeply moving and refreshingly candid — the kind of talk that left the room silent for a moment before the applause.
Philip shared how in 2004, he discovered a lump. His GP initially dismissed it as “nothing to worry about.” Months later, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, by then spread up his spine, with nine tumours discovered during surgery.
He endured gruelling rounds of chemotherapy. But while his body fought cancer, the emotional aftermath crept in:
- Unexplained weight gain
- Sweats, hot flashes
- Crashing libido
- A profound loss of confidence
- Constant exhaustion
Philip described one poignant realisation:
“I was reading about menopause symptoms in the newspaper and thought, that’s me.”
Despite surviving cancer, he was struggling with low testosterone — a condition called hypogonadism — but nobody checked his hormones. Instead, doctors kept telling him he was “just depressed after cancer.”
Feeling lost, Philip founded Testicular Cancer UK, determined no man should feel alone as he did. Through his work, he discovered countless other men facing similar stories:
- Partners leaving due to sudden personality changes or libido loss
- Men developing osteoporosis or diabetes linked to hormonal imbalance
- Deep emotional distress brushed aside because “men don’t talk about these things”
Philip’s words were heartbreaking:
“GPs kept telling me I was just depressed after cancer. Now lads ring me crying because they’re losing their marriages. This is the male menopause, and we’ve got to talk about it.”
He passionately argued that testicular cancer survivors deserve routine hormone checks. Ignoring low testosterone doesn’t just harm sexual health — it impacts mental health, relationships, metabolism, and long-term bone health.
Shared Struggles
Though they spoke from opposite ends of the hormonal spectrum, both Dr Crocket and Philip Morris illuminated the same core message:
- Hormones in midlife can wreak havoc.
- People’s identities, confidence, and relationships suffer alongside physical symptoms.
- Healthcare systems often dismiss or mislabel these changes as “just stress” or “depression.”
- There’s still enormous stigma, particularly for men, around discussing intimate or emotional symptoms.
Physiotherapy Perspective
This is precisely where physiotherapists can step in:
- Pelvic health isn’t just for women — hormonal shifts affect men too, whether from cancer treatment, low testosterone, or ageing itself.
- Hormonal changes influence joint pain, fatigue, exercise tolerance, mood, and overall confidence.
- Physios are ideally placed to notice patterns, ask the awkward questions, and join the dots between physical symptoms and hormonal changes.
- We’re often the first trusted health professional to whom patients open up about sensitive issues.
Physio experts like Gerard Greene, who kindly delivered a webinar for Physio First, have been instrumental in raising awareness of men’s pelvic health. Gerard’s session, now available in our Physio First Library, highlighted how:
- Men often struggle to find practitioners willing to talk about intimate symptoms.
- Pelvic floor dysfunction, sexual health concerns, and hormonal changes are far more common than many realise.
- Physiotherapists can be crucial patient advocates, pushing for necessary hormone tests, having those difficult conversations, and making timely referrals to specialist pelvic health colleagues.
Final Commentary
“Between testicles and hot flushes lies a shared story of midlife. As physios, we’re not just treating muscles or joints — we’re advocates for the whole person. We need to be informed, willing to ask difficult questions, and ready to push for hormone tests, specialist referrals, or simply provide a listening ear. Because it’s not just hormones — it’s people’s lives, identities, and quality of life.”
