Old Age Health Problems - A Look At The Different Types

| Friday, September 16, 2011
By Mark Walters


As people get older, they often experience an increased range of health issues. This guide looks at some of the most common health problems that people can experience in old age, one of which is Alzheimer's and other forms of memory loss. It is a well-known fact that many people start to lose their memory as they get older. Often this will be short term memory, while older memories stay intact. Depending on the precise condition, the person in question may not be aware that their memory is fading.

Another common health problem that elderly people might experience is hearing loss. This typically happens in older people due to a degeneration of a certain part of the inner ear, where there are lots of tiny blood vessels. Older people can also lose some of the ear's 'hair' cells, which can affect their ability to hear and understand speech. Some hearing loss can be helped with the use of a hearing aid, which helps to amplify sounds and make them easier to hear.

Arthritis is another common problem of old age, which typically affects the joints. Some of the medicine used to treat rheumatoid arthritis can also cause the bones to thin, which can later lead on to osteoporosis. This is a problem with the bones, which makes them become weaker and more likely to break. People don't always suffer from both arthritis and osteoporosis at the same time, though, and there are also other issues that can affect bones and joints. Exercise such as aerobics or swimming can help with some symptoms.

Strokes are another common health problem of old age, and they are caused when the flow of blood to the brain becomes disrupted. This then starves brain cells of oxygen, which can leave them damaged or even dead. Strokes in older people are often caused because they are more likely to have an irregular heartbeat, which increases the risk. Common signs of a stroke include weakness in one side of the body, brief loss of vision or difficulty speaking, but the severity of strokes can differ.

Diabetes is something else that affects a lot of people in old age. Older people are less likely to do work and exercise, which can make some of the symptoms of diabetes more severe and they can even lead to a coma in some cases. While people of all ages are able to get diabetes, it is considered more serious in older people. This is partly because they are unable to take the same range of drugs, but some of the symptoms can be controlled by altering diet.




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