5 health challenges when aging


Today, thanks to advances in science in health care, life expectancy is increasing. That means the body needs to face the problems of natural aging. Here are 5 problems that you often encounter as you get older.

1. Weakened immune system


Our immune system works less and less efficiently, this is part of aging. This means that the elderly will face a higher risk of infection-related illnesses at a younger age. Such as dental infections, respiratory infections, influenza and other viral diseases.
Influenza virus and multi-agent pneumonia although not chronic conditions, these infections are among the top eight causes of death in people over 65 years of age. Therefore, promotion of vaccination is essential to prevent disease caused by microorganisms.

2. Chronic diseases in the elderly


Chronic diseases in the elderly are very common, related to many factors arising in both the process of living and combined with natural aging factors. Some chronic diseases that the elderly may encounter such as:
Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis or arthritis occurs in the elderly, especially people over 65 years of age, which significantly affects the quality of life. life of the elderly. This condition makes it difficult to move your joints flexibly and causes pain, often requiring treatment to help relieve pain and improve quality of life. Cardiovascular disease and blood pressure: This is the leading cause of death in the elderly, especially in those over 65 years of age. As people age, they increasingly live with more risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, increasing their chances of having a stroke or developing cardiovascular disease. People who exercise regularly and have a proper diet may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, regular exercise and a healthy diet are encouraged at all ages. Insomnia: Stems from health or emotional conditions as we age that can affect sleep. The elderly often face many health problems as well as many problems to worry about, but the elderly often have problems related to sleep. If you don't get enough sleep for a long time, you still face the risk of depression, weakness... Osteoporosis: As you get older, the mineral density of your bones also decreases. In women, this condition is more common due to a sudden drop in sex hormones. In addition, diet and the ability to absorb minerals also make the elderly more susceptible to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes bone pain and especially the risk of fractures seriously affecting life. Diet and supplement through health protection products to help the body have adequate amounts of calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus are essential for the elderly. In addition, screening for osteoporosis should also be performed periodically to detect and treat the disease early.
bệnh mãn tính ở người già
Loãng xương có thể gặp trong các bệnh mãn tính ở người già

Diabetes: During the course of life, if people have an unscientific diet, they are more likely to face the risk of diabetes when they get older. Diabetes causes many complications on blood vessels, heart, eyes, kidneys... For prevention, you should have a diet that reduces starch and sugar in the body. Cancer: Cancer is the second leading cause of death in people over the age of 65. Older people have a higher risk of cancer such as colorectal cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, lung cancer... So middle-aged and elderly people are recommended Encourage early cancer screening, in order to detect and treat early to increase life expectancy. Overweight and obesity: As you get older you also become less active, so your body burns fewer calories for physical activity than it did when you were younger. It is easy to have an excess of calories that leads to overweight and obesity. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of many diseases, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. In addition, the weight index also increases the burden for the elderly when walking, difficulties for heterosexuals and diseases related to bones and joints are also higher.

3. Visual impairment


There is a wide range of changes in our eyes that occur due to age. These changes include yellowing or browning of the sclera of the eye due to accumulation of fat or cholesterol in the conjunctiva or related to aging and exposure to ultraviolet light. Changes also occur in the conjunctiva, such as thinning of the membrane. This often leads to dry eyes, a condition primarily caused by decreased tear production and reduced mucus from the conjunctiva.
Due to that change, our eyes as we age will experience many medical problems such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma... In which, the leading cause of vision loss In the elderly it is caused by cataract and it is also the most common condition.

4. Hearing loss


Hearing loss is also a common problem in the elderly, especially in those over 70 years old. Hearing problems that may occur in the elderly include difficulty perceiving and distinguishing sounds (including voices), difficulty understanding voices (especially in situations of hearing loss such as when there is noise or loud echo) and reduced processing of auditory information.
These difficulties interfere with older adults' daily activities and participation in activities. Hearing loss in the elderly can make it difficult to carry out independent activities of daily living such as communicating, shopping, etc. This increases the risk of mental health problems and more social interaction.
bệnh mãn tính ở người già
Suy giảm thính lực là một trong các bệnh mãn tính ở người già thường gặp

5. Memory loss


Old people often forget something, if it is mild, it is a sign of brain aging. But memory decline in the elderly is not always caused by aging. Some people suffer from diseases such as dementia that make their memory severely impaired. Not only affects the quality of life, but also affects the health of the elderly.
If your memory loss is as severe as not being able to remember what you do every day, familiar paths, names of familiar objects, it's not normal at all. It is important to be examined early to detect medical problems.
As we age we face many health related challenges. This can be reduced if you have a reasonable diet, activity and exercise.
In order to always be healthy and limit old age diseases, the elderly should have regular general health check-ups at reputable and quality medical facilities. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has general health checkup packages suitable for each age, gender and individual needs of customers with a reasonable price policy.

Để đặt lịch khám tại viện, Quý khách vui lòng bấm số HOTLINE hoặc đặt lịch trực tiếp TẠI ĐÂY. Tải và đặt lịch khám tự động trên ứng dụng MyVinmec để quản lý, theo dõi lịch và đặt hẹn mọi lúc mọi nơi ngay trên ứng dụng.

16 lượt đọc

Dịch vụ từ Vinmec

Bài viết liên quan