The Health Issues That Can Creep Up In Older Age

982

It’s fair to say that as you get older, you are more likely to develop a wider range of health issues and experience general wear and tear. Such issues can have a marked impact on your day to day, your lifestyle and overall wellbeing. Being aware of the potential issues can help you in understanding the best ways to prevent, treat or manage them. Here are just a few of the more common health issues that can creep up in older age.

♥

Hearing Loss 

You could find that you develop some degree of hearing loss as you get older. Perhaps you start to notice that you need to turn the volume on your TV up a little louder, or maybe you’re struggling to hear people talking. If this is an issue, then you should think about speaking to your doctor to rule out wax causing problems and booking a hearing test to assess the level of loss. Hearing loss left untreated can cause issues with the way the brain processes language and has also been linked to potential cognitive decline, not to mention the mental health aspects of feeling left out from the world around you.

Tinnitus, usually a tinny ringing in the ears, can also develop. Tinnitus and hearing aids can, in some cases, work together as the hearing aids can provide a degree of masking noise, which can reduce the impact tinnitus has on your life. The risk of tinnitus does increase as you get older though it can be experienced at any age, and is sometimes also linked to the likes of ear infections, wax build up and stress.

Aches & Arthritis

You could also find that you develop aches and pains as you get older, from creaking to joints to serious chronic pain. Loss of collagen, less elasticity and less movement can all contribute. Pain and resulting loss of mobility could be experienced in your neck, back, hands, knees and just about anywhere else, which can impact not just your day to day but your mental health, too.

Arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, can be particularly debilitating for many. Again, you needn’t be in your 70s or 80s to start experiencing this, but it’s more prevalent in older populations. A rheumatologist should be able to offer suggestions for medications, exercises or lifestyle changes.

There are a myriad of reasons for why pain might develop and where on the body it might be, but there are a few tools to try in helping you to better manage pain, from pacing, copper gloves and heat pads, to muscle rubs, CBD and prescription medications.

Weight Gain & Associated Risks

While weight gain may not seem like a health issue in itself, significant gain could increase the risk of other conditions like heart disease, sleep apnea and diabetes, or simply make mobility more problematic. For some people, weight can be gained incrementally and be unnoticeable until it becomes a problem, and the older you get the more difficult it often is to shed the weight. It’s a good idea to review your diet and how much movement you typically get.

Small changes like more fruit, adding antioxidants and making some healthy food swaps can add up, as can getting a little more movement where possible. Of course, weight alone isn’t an indicator of health and being underweight likewise comes with its own increased health risks, but weight management by means of diet and exercise might be an important one to consider.

Cognitive Impairments

General cognitive decline can happen with age, so it’s not generally a sign of a serious condition like dementia if you’re more forgetful or a little confused. Seeking professional support here is important to rule such conditions out though, so if there are any concerns please speak to a doctor. Some people swear by a healthy diet with Omega 3 and activities to keep their brain supple, like crosswords, reading or sudoku.

Sleep Apnea

Older adults are at risk of sleep apnea, with between 13 to 32 percent of people aged 65 and over having this condition. Sleep apnea symptoms can include pauses in breathing effort (or apnea) that last up to 20 seconds and occur as often as 100 times an hour during sleep. Anyone can develop sleep apnea, but older adults with the following risk factors are more likely to develop this condition:

• Asthma
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Smoking habit
• Narrowed airways
• Chronic nasal congestion
• A history of sleep apnea in their family

Many sleep apnea cases in older adults go undiagnosed, which is why it’s important to ask your doctor about it during your annual checkups. If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause complications, including cardiovascular issues and eye problems. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is often essential to alleviate apnea episodes. This therapy uses a CPAP machine that provides a steady stream of air down the user’s airway to aid breathing and facilitate better quality sleep. 

Oral & Eye Health Decline

As we age, gums can recede and any dental issues can start to build up. Poor oral health can lead to pain, infections, gum disease, an inability to easily eat and so on, so it’s important to have regular dental check ups and have a solid oral health routine, involving good quality toothpaste, toothbrush, floss and mouthwash. If you do lose teeth, then veneers and dentures are options to speak with your dental professional about. Thanks to advances in treatment, dentures are becoming more accessible and comfortable; while they can still be particularly costly, such options can prove to be a priceless investment.

With eyes, degeneration, vision impairment, cataracts and other visual issues can arise. Regular eye sight tests are important as these can often flag up potential issues with eye health. If you have any concerns, speak to your doctor or optician, who should be able to refer you to an eye specialist if need be.

Osteoporosis

This isn’t restricted to just the elderly but bones can thin as we age. There’s healthy bones, then osteopenia (borderline to osteoporosis) and osteoporosis, where bone density is below what it should be. This means you’ll be at greater risk of bones breaks and fractures. As well as dietary changes to include more calcium, there are medications that might be recommended if you’re post-menopause and living with osteopenia. 

Fall Injuries

With less dexterity, perhaps being more frail, and generally less mobile comes the risk of trips and falls inside and outside the home. Small adjustments can help, like a walking stick for outside the home, or grab handles in the bathroom. A personal alarm, which you might be able to get through a charity or your local council, is a good idea if you’re living alone. Press the alarm and help will be automatically contacted. 

♥

This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, and you needn’t be elderly to experience any such issues either. But these are just a few things to keep in mind in case they need to be tackled. Prevention is better than cure, but small changes or medical intervention as you age can make a significant difference to your health outlook and quality of life for your later years to come.

Caz  ♥

Facebook   ||   Twitter  ||  Instagram

Related Reading :

• Reakiro CBD Reviewed & Recommended
• Copper Clothing Review For Antimicrobial Benefits & Achey Joints
• Oral B Sensitivity & Gum Calm Toothpaste Review
• BioMin Toothpaste For Stronger Teeth Review

[ This is a collaborative post ]