Your Body in Time: 4 Health Conditions to Be Mindful of When You Age

Health conditions

You have kept a strict diet for most of your life, completed exercise regularly and remained social. But even with all these in your favor, the slow ticking of the clock and the natural effects of time, some health conditions begin to take their toll on your body. 

No matter how much you have looked after yourself, some conditions are inescapable. The aging process triggers physiological changes in your body that can lead to illnesses and conditions in later life. Here are four health conditions to be mindful of as you age. Looking out for their signs will help you catch them early and take steps to reverse or slow the condition. 

Dementia 

fall scents for your home

Dementia is the medical name for a host of symptoms caused by brain diseases. Depending on which part of the brain is affected and the nature of the disease, dementia can present as a variety of symptoms, including:

  •         Memory loss
  •         Loss of emotion
  •         A slowdown of cognitive ability
  •         Impaired decision making
  •         Confusion
  •         Lack of spatial awareness
  •         Mood swings
  •         Loss of interest in hobbies and friends 

Hearing Loss 

Around 40% of people over the age of 50 suffer from partial or full hearing loss. As you age, your cells lose some of their ability to regenerate and repair themselves. As inner ear cells are damaged in the natural wear and tear of daily life, older people experience a deterioration in their hearing ability. In addition to the natural aging process, it is also possible to suffer levels of hearing loss due to regular exposure to loud noises, or other degenerative ear diseases. 

The good news is that hearing loss does not have to have a large impact on your daily life. There are resources for hearing loss that can maintain patients’ quality of life by amplifying sounds inside the ear. 

Vision Problems

Problems with vision often go undetected. Not because the patient doesn’t notice the problems, but because they may be reluctant to visit an optician to change their prescription or because they worry that if they report their deteriorating eyesight, they may lose some of their independence. But eye problems are more than simply an annoyance. They pose a threat to the patient’s safety and the safety of those around them. 

People suffering from problems with their vision are more likely to suffer falls and become involved in a traffic accident. They are also at higher risk of problems arising from taking the wrong medication. 

As citizens age, their risk of glaucoma and cataracts is also heightened. These diseases do not always present symptoms right away. An optician can detect these diseases before they have an impact on your eyesight, so regular eye checks are always good practice as you age. 

Osteoporosis 

Osteoporosis causes patients’ bones to become more brittle and fragile, leading to an increased risk of fractures and breaks. However, it is notoriously difficult to detect. Many patients have no idea they are suffering from the condition until they suffer a fracture. 

Women are particularly affected by the condition. Around half of all women over the age of 50 will suffer a fracture due to the effects of osteoporosis. After the menopause, the woman’s decline in estrogen levels can cause osteoporosis.

 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your Body in Time: 4 Health Conditions to Be Mindful of When You Age
Scroll to Top