People over 60 should pay attention to various health problems, including their oral health, heart disease, cognitive ability and arthritis.
Although your chances of getting some diseases will increase with your age, you can take some measures to keep healthy and find symptoms early.
Welcome to your 60th birthday! Your golden years are just around the corner. Maybe you plan to retire soon and expect to have more time to do anything you want-travel, visit your grandchildren or raise one or two. It shows that people in their sixties are happier than those in their fifties.
However, as far as health is concerned, 60 is also a wake-up call. At this age, people usually encounter some health problems. Please read on to learn how to find and treat them and how to avoid them as much as possible. Aging is inevitable, but poor health is not necessary.
Oral hygiene
Tooth decay is not only suitable for children. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States indicated that 1 in every five elderly people suffered from untreated dental caries, and about 2 out of every three people suffered from this disease. According to sources, dry mouth is a common cause of tooth decay in people over 65, because the elderly are more likely to take various over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
According to the American Dental Association, dry mouth is a side effect of more than 500 drugs. Therefore, it is very important to keep your oral health in your 60s. In your routine dental examination, mention any medicine you take. In order to help fight dry mouth, ADA also suggests drinking more water, chewing sugar-free gum and avoiding drinking coffee and alcohol.
Alzheimer's disease
Although memory will be lost to some extent with age, now is a good time to pay attention to these signs. Alzheimer's disease is the most common early dementia.
If you or your relatives notice that your memory has changed, please consult your general practitioner. Your doctor can help determine whether you have dementia and whether the treatment is appropriate. It is said that dementia drugs can help control symptoms. Preventive measures to help maintain cognitive ability include keeping active physical and social activities.
heart disease
The older you get, the more likely you are to have a heart attack or heart attack. According to the new data, about 20% men in their 60s suffer from coronary heart disease. But by the time he was in his 80 s, the number had risen to about 32%. Similarly, the number of women suffering from coronary heart disease increased from about 65,438+00% in their 60s to about 65,438+09% in their 80s.
With the increase of age, people's heart blood vessels harden and plaques accumulate in arteries. And lead to these changes. Therefore, please consider asking you to discuss your heart health with your doctor in your 60s and make any necessary lifestyle changes, such as exercising more and maintaining a healthy weight. The treatment of heart disease includes drugs and surgery.
herpes zoster
Did you get chicken pox when you were a child? If so, the varicella virus is still in your body and can be reactivated. Although herpes zoster can cause a rash anywhere in the body, it usually appears on both sides of the trunk. If you know someone with herpes zoster, you probably know how painful the rash is.
Fortunately, there is a herpes zoster vaccine. People over 50 are advised to discuss vaccination with their doctors or pharmacists. Even if you have been infected with herpes zoster, the source said that the vaccine is still beneficial because you may have been infected with herpes zoster more than once. It also said that people who had been vaccinated against herpes zoster in the past may have been vaccinated with a vaccine that is no longer the first choice. Talk to your doctor and see if you are up to date.
diabetes
According to the data, nearly 50% of people aged 65 and over have it. The good news is that people with pre-diabetes can take measures to help reduce the risk. The sooner you know that you have pre-diabetes, the sooner you can change your lifestyle to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
Therefore, it is very important to identify symptoms and signs. According to the author, these symptoms include thirst and blurred vision. If you think you may have pre-diabetes, please consult your doctor. They can help you decide whether you should have a blood sugar test. Lifestyle choices that help prevent diabetes or control diseases include regular exercise and healthy eating.
put on weight
As people get older, their metabolism tends to slow down. In this way, it is easier to gain weight and more difficult to lose weight. According to the new data, nearly 43% of people aged 60 and over are obese. Being overweight makes people more susceptible to various diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and stroke.
Although it is common for people in their sixties to gain weight, it is not necessarily inevitable. It is never too old to control your weight. The first thing to do is to talk to your general practitioner. They can help you solve the problem of slow metabolism by controlling weight in a planned way. Then, your doctor can help you make a plan to maintain a healthy weight.
Balance problem
Millions of old people fall down every year. In fact, it is said that more than 25% of people aged 65 and over fall every year. According to the source, although falling may not sound like the most serious health problem, "3 million elderly people are treated in the emergency room every year because of falling injuries."
As people get older, they may lose joint flexibility and muscle strength. Therefore, their reaction time may slow down, which may lead to balance problems. However, you can take some simple steps to help you fall. For example, eliminate the risk of tripping, such as carpets and sundries.
arthritis
Arthritis is very common among the elderly. In fact, arthritis affects about 50% people aged 65 and over. When you have arthritis, your whole body will feel pain and stiffness, including your lower back, hands and buttocks.
Common symptoms include joint pain, swelling and tenderness; Stiff after getting out of bed; And the feeling of crunching or the sound of bones rubbing against bones, "the report said. If you think you may have arthritis, please contact your doctor. They can evaluate the situation and decide whether the treatment will help. Common ones include drugs, treatment and surgery.
flu
When you are over 60, your immune system may not be as strong as before. This will make the elderly face higher serious risks. According to new data, 70% to 85% of influenza-related deaths occur in people aged 65 and over.
Fortunately, the flu vaccine is updated every year. Discuss the possibility of influenza vaccination with your doctor or pharmacist. Other preventive measures include covering your mouth and nose and coughing frequently, and avoiding contact with anyone who is sick.
cancer
Do you know that the risk of some cancers will increase with age? Useful, age-recommended cancer screening is easy to track. For example, people aged 50 and over are encouraged to receive screening for colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer.
Although it is impossible to prevent all types of cancer, it means that you can take measures to reduce the chance of fatal cases. On the one hand, when the treatment is more likely to succeed, regular cancer screening is helpful for early detection. The source also pointed out the effectiveness of the vaccine, avoiding smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. Discuss with your doctor about arranging screening and ask them if they have any other suggestions.
Osteoporosis
Especially women, should pay attention to the signs of osteoporosis. "Of the estimated 65438+00 million Americans suffering from osteoporosis, about 8 million or 80% are women," according to the data of the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (). According to the disease, 65,438+0 out of every four women aged 65 and over suffer from osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis makes bones fragile. Therefore, they are more likely to break or break. According to the new data, women over 50 and 25% men will experience fractures related to osteoporosis. Discuss calcium and vitamin D supplements with your doctor.
Visual changes
Some vision changes are accompanied by aging. You may find yourself holding books and labels closer or farther away from your face in order to read them more clearly. However, not every change in vision can be corrected by a stronger prescription for glasses. Some diseases, such as glaucoma and cataract, may require medication or eye surgery.
It is recommended that people aged 60 and over have their eyes examined once a year. Through regular eye examinations, optometrists can track your vision changes and determine the areas of concern.