Physical Problems of Old Age

As people age, many of them experience physical problems that can interfere with their quality of life. These include hearing loss, loss of mobility and the risk of falls.

Personal Medical Alarms Getting regular health screenings can help catch these issues before they become serious and affect your quality of life. Addressing these issues is important for healthy aging.

1. Osteoporosis

Generally, people lose bone mass faster than they build it as they age. This is due to a combination of factors including genetics, lifestyle and the environment they live in as children and even as fetuses.

The inside of healthy bone looks like a sponge, and it's wrapped in a hard outer shell of dense bone. With osteoporosis, the holes in this "sponge" get bigger and the bones become weaker. This puts older adults at risk of fractures, especially of the hip and spine. These are often debilitating.

2. Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints, which are where 2 or more bones meet. It can be caused by a reduction in the normal amount of cartilage tissue that protects your joints or because of an infection or injury.

It also can be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks its own tissues. Other types of arthritis include osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis and gout.

There are no cures for most types of arthritis, but treatment can help reduce pain and stiffness. Your doctor may recommend physiotherapy and medication.

3. Diabetes

Many older people find it hard to follow a diet that can help control blood sugar levels. They may not have a good understanding of the dietary recommendations for diabetes and they may also have other conditions that need a special diet, such as heart disease or stomach (digestive) problems. Too much sugar in the blood can damage the tiny blood vessels that supply nerve-endings, particularly in the legs and feet (diabetic neuropathy). This can cause tingling, burning or pain in these areas.

4. Glaucoma

Glaucoma causes vision loss by damaging the optic nerve. It occurs when fluid pressure in the eye rises and presses hard on the optic nerve, which carries signals from the retina to the brain so we can see.

Patchy blind spots develop in peripheral (side) vision and get worse over time. It is important for your loved one to get regular eye exams.

Treatment includes medication, either pills or eye drops, that lowers pressure by making the eyes make less fluid or by allowing more fluid to drain out of the eye.

5. Osteoporosis-related fractures

Over 54 million people age 50 and older have low bone density, a condition called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis leads to broken bones, mainly in the hip, spine and wrist. These fractures often cause a hunched back posture called stooped spine syndrome.

Until age 25, bone formation (synthesis) usually outpaces bone breakdown (resorption). After that, bone loss accelerates, especially in postmenopausal women.

Most fractures occur without any symptoms. They typically develop after a fall or during routine activities. Fractures are most common in the spine, where they can lead to significant pain and disability.

6. Diabetes-related fractures

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has a harmful effect on bone health and is associated with lower BMD, accelerated skeletal ageing and increased risk of fracture. This may be due to hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress, which results in advanced glycation end products and inhibits osteoblasts and stimulates osteoclasts.

Diabetes is also associated with lower lean body mass and medications such as thiazolidinediones that increase fracture risk.

Frailty is a dynamic aging state that predicts adverse health outcomes and has a strong interaction with diabetes. Exploring the trajectories of frailty in diabetes could help further quantify this effect modification and improve fracture risk assessment in patients with diabetes.

7. Osteoporosis-related infections

Symptoms of osteoporosis are subtle, and some people never experience them. However, if a vertebra collapses (fractures) in the spine, it can cause pain and deformity.

Treatment for osteoporosis involves managing risk factors, ensuring adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, and taking medications such as bisphosphonates. Exercise, weight-bearing activities, and surgery to increase bone density also help.

These problems routinely fall through the cracks of usual medical care, but correct evaluation and treatment can enable healthier aging. Talk with a geriatrician or make sure your regular doctor thinks like one.

8. Arthritis-related infections

Infectious arthritis is caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungus. It often occurs in the knee, but can affect other joints. Bacterial infections spread through the bloodstream into the joint, which causes inflammation and pain. The condition is diagnosed by drawing a sample of the joint fluid (called synovial fluid) and testing it for white cells and other markers of infection.

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, and the type of antibiotic will depend on which bacteria is causing the infection. Viral infections usually go away on their own, and fungus infections are treated with antifungal medications.

9. Osteoporosis-related fractures

Osteoporosis causes bones to weaken and break. This is most common in the hip and spine (vertebrae). This leads to a stooped or hunched posture. It can also cause back pain.

Most osteoporotic fractures go unnoticed until they cause symptoms such as back pain or a crooked spine (kyphosis). Doctors can diagnose these by taking X-rays. They can also use CT scans for better imaging of the bone and to assess height loss, fragment retropulsion or canal compromise. Treatment can help reduce the risk of these fractures.

10. Osteoporosis-related infections

Symptoms of osteoporosis are often overlooked. They include back pain, especially in the spine (vertebral compression fractures), that starts suddenly or develops over time and gets worse when people stand or walk.

Osteoporosis is when the quality, quantity and strength of your bones decrease, making them more likely to break (fracture). Ageing, low calcium intake, gastrointestinal disorders, some medicines, excessive alcohol use and cigarette smoking can cause osteoporosis. Treatment includes ensuring adequate intake of calcium, weight-bearing exercise and drugs such as bisphosphonates. Early diagnosis means that treatments can be more effective.