Getting older means two things. Firstly, age doesn’t mean wisdom in the way that you might have considered when you were younger. The more experience you have, the more you realize you don’t know – but this is a good thing, as it means you have more and more questions to ask and more of the world to discover. Secondly, you start to realize that you have to start taking care of yourself. From your hangovers starting to last longer and feel worse in your twenties, you realize that your body becomes more and more fragile over time. Here are some chronic conditions that might hit you as you get older that you should be aware of.
Depression
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No matter how old you are, you might be affected by mental health issues, but as you get older there are more and more things that might exacerbate it. Other physical health problems might be an issue, or chronic pain, or changes in life circumstances like divorce, or the deep sadness that comes alongside losing a parent or other bereavements that might happen in your life. If you find yourself feeling generally glum or taking very little interest in the things that you used to love, you should go to the doctor to talk about it. There’s no point in trying to maintain a stiff upper lip if you aren’t happy.
Osteoporosis
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Many people start to suffer from osteoporosis as they age. This means that your bones start to get weaker and more fragile as you get older, meaning that they’re very easily broken during a fall or even a hard knock. Take calcium supplements to help your bones stay strong – check out real AlgaeCal reviews for more information – and make sure that you ask your doctor for a bone density scan, as osteoporosis is largely symptomless.
Arthritis
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Over twenty percent of people suffer from arthritis as they get older, which essentially means that the joints are painful and inflamed thanks to the cartilage wearing out and getting thinner. If you have joint pain, inflammation or restricted movement around the joint, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about it as there are plenty of solutions that can help you. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis suffered by older people, which usually affects the fingers, knees, spine and hips. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs can help out a lot of people who have arthritis.
Vision Loss
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A lot of people find that they have to start wearing spectacles as they get older, but some suffer from worse vision problems than that, like glaucoma or macular degeneration. In macular degeneration, the part of your eye that helps you see detail starts to break down, while glaucoma is a condition in which the fluid pressure inside the eye increases and causes loss of peripheral vision. Make sure that you get your eyes regularly checked by an optometrist. Although macular degeneration can’t be reversed, there are plenty of things that you can do to make your life a little easier.
