Last updated on December 2nd, 2023 at 12:27 am
In early adult life, most people are at their peak of physical fitness. At this stage in life, it is common to take part in a range of sports that require high levels of fitness and endurance, such as football and tennis. As people begin to age from their thirties onwards, there is a slow but steady decline in athletic ability.
Therefore, most professional football players retire around this time, as they are no longer at the top of their game. As the decades pass and later life approaches, many people find that they start to lose muscle mass and tone. In the senior years of life, health problems may become more common for many people.
Bone density begins to reduce from the age of thirty-five in most adults, but by the senior stage of life, it can become a noticeable problem and can lead to serious problems, such as fractures occurring after a fall. There is a wide range of health problems that can affect the elderly more than younger generations. This article describes three common health conditions that people may experience in later life and what treatment options are available for these.
Neck and Back Pain
Neck and back pain can affect any person during their lives. In the earlier years of life, it could simply be because of a sporting injury or even after sleeping in an awkward position at night. In the senior stages of life neck and back pain can become chronic if left untreated and a person’s posture is poor. Neck and back pain in the elderly can also be a symptom of a condition called degenerative disc disease (DDD).
This is where the discs in the spine deteriorate or experience abnormal changes. Often, this is because of the aging process and when wear and tear affect the discs. Pain can result because of pressure being put on the nerves in the spinal cord. In severe cases, this type of neck pain can severely inhibit an elderly person’s quality of life.
Thankfully, healthcare services, such as bioxcellerator.com, can offer a range of treatments to combat this medical condition. One way to treat DDD is through stem cell therapy. Healthy stem cells are introduced into the site of the pain and can help to reduce inflammation, which can lead to freedom from back and neck pain.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that can affect anyone, but it tends to become more common in later life. There are two distinct types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is where the pancreas makes little or no insulin, which leads to high blood sugar levels as the sugar from food cannot enter the cells in the body and is restricted to being in the bloodstream. This is often called juvenile diabetes, as it may affect the young to a greater extent.
Type 2 diabetes is more likely to develop in adults over the age of forty-five. It is caused by the body’s cells responding abnormally to insulin. Risk factors with type 2 diabetes include being overweight or obese, smoking, and having a poor diet. Thankfully, many cases of type 2 diabetes in the elderly can be controlled by improving the diet and taking regular gentle exercise. A person’s cholesterol levels must be managed. These can be kept low by enjoying a diet that is low in saturated fats.
Dementia
Dementia is another health condition that is prevalent in the elderly. There are various forms of dementia, which include Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia leads to a loss of cognitive function and, as it progresses, can severely affect a person’s quality of life. People with the condition may find that they struggle to remember simple facts and may even become disorientated or confused.
In severe cases, dementia can cause a person to no longer be safe in their own homes. Elderly people who suffer from dementia may forget to turn off the oven when cooking food or may forget how to get home when they are out in public.
In some cases, the best action to take is for the elderly person to move into a nursing or assisted living home where they can receive specialist medical assistance and help with daily tasks. Music therapy has also been demonstrated to improve the outcomes in some dementia patients. By recalling familiar songs and listening to music, the elderly can help to stimulate recall functions in their brain.
To Sum Up
Chronic neck and back pain, diabetes, and dementia can all be common health conditions for people in later life. Each of these conditions can be detrimental to a person’s quality of life, but thankfully, there is a range of therapies and treatments for these conditions that can help to improve outcomes in the elderly.
