Bitter but a reality we need to accept and face it, that we all are getting old each day. Right from the moment, we are born, each of us, steadily age and go through numerous changes due to aging. This occurrence of aging is a complex process that affects the body cells. Healthy cells gradually begin to shrink and depreciate. With age, the skin loses its tensile strength, hair becomes grey, and bones get weak. Aging not only affects physical appearance but also gives rise to many health problems.
Aging or as it is casually known as the golden years of one’s life isn’t the same as it used to be a few years back. It’s getting better thanks to the advances in nutrition and medicine. Still, one cannot ignore the common health issues associated with aging. It is important to understand and be aware of a few of the common medical health issues during these golden years as it helps to manage them accordingly.
A few of the most common medical conditions affecting older men are as below:
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Diabetes
- Depression
Heart Disease
One of the primary causes of death among elder people over the age of 65 is heart disease. Elderly men need to manage their health conditions like high cholesterol and blood pressure, to avoid developing any kind of heart disease in the later years of life.
Heart disease is a blanket term that includes a few medical conditions like coronary artery disease, angina, arrhythmias, and heart failure. One of the first signs of heart disease is generally a heart attack. With the help of some important signs, a person can be aware before it comes to a head.
During the initial stage, these signs and symptoms may come and go. Based on research, 50% of the men who die due to heart disease are not even aware that they are suffering from heart disease, due to the absence of symptoms. Hence to be aware of these signs and symptoms is vital to safeguard one’s cardiac health. The ability to recover from these conditions depends on how quickly the treatment is received. One should immediately seek online consultation with the doctor if he is undergoing any of these symptoms.
- Difficulty in breathing after a normal physical exertion, like climbing stairs
- Squeezing in the chest or some discomfort for around 30 minutes or more.
- Pain in the neck, upper torso, and jaw
- Irregular heartbeat
- Fainting
It’s important to reduce the risk of any heart disease whether one has any symptoms or not. Regular checkups are recommended even if one has excellent health.
Cancer:
After heart disease, the second leading reason of death among elderly men is Cancer. Cancer is a type of disease wherein the body cells reproduce abnormally and becomes a mass known as a tumor. These cells spread in the blood or may increase the growth of the tumor. The most common type of cancer found in men is prostate cancer. The prostate gland is one of the main parts of the male reproductive system that is located near the bladder and the penis. Prostate cancer and other health issues due to an enlarged prostate are the most common medical conditions in men above 60 years of age.
In the early stages, prostate cancer or enlarged prostate may show no signs but in its advanced stage, it has symptoms like:
- Blood spotting in semen or urine
- Pain in the hips, lower back, and rectal area
- Reduced pressure during urination
- Discomfort or pain in the pelvic area
- Erectile dysfunction
- The repeated urge to urinate
After the age of 50, men should get themselves screened for prostate cancer. Almost 50% of the men do experience an enlarged prostate, which ranges from causing discomfort to causing cancer. Hence it is of utmost importance that men over the age group of 55 should keep a check on their prostate health with their doctor.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a medical condition for entire life in which the body is not capable to produce enough insulin that processes the sugar in the blood. This may be due to insufficient insulin production by the pancreas or the body may have become resistant to the insulin. High levels of sugar in the blood lead to other health issues such as infections, heart and kidney diseases.
Diabetes has two types, out of which type 2 diabetes is known as the silent killer. It initially starts without any symptoms, but when the sugar levels shoot up, type 2 diabetes affects most men above 60 years of age and it may also interfere with the patient’s vision, mobility, and wound healing. The initial signs of diabetes such as frequent urge to urinate; increased thirst leads men to consult the doctor.
A person can manage his diabetes by changing his sedentary lifestyle, eating healthy food with an increase in fiber intake and reducing fat and sugar intake, being active by exercising regularly, and last but not the least, should go for a regular check-up of their blood sugar levels to detect it before it rises and avoid the occurrence of any serious health issues.
Alzheimer’s disease
One of the common age-related diseases is the loss of memory. It starts with short-term memory loss such as forgetting simple routine tasks that change rapidly into a long-term loss of memory. Alzheimer’s disease is a scary state that affects many elderly people across the world. It may cause a considerable impact on the quality of life and the person becomes dependent on others. It’s quite challenging to reach the diagnosis stage in this disease. Many face some level of memory loss as they age, which is commonly known as dementia. But the severity arises when the loss of memory affects daily routine. Many studies are being carried out on this disease to find the cure for it.
One can prevent this by staying mentally and physically active. One should delay their retirement, travel, read books, have a healthy and balanced diet, exercise, and socialize, which are some of the ways wherein a person can prevent loss and retain memory.
Depression
Depression is one such disease that is generally misunderstood, especially in men. This is because most men are unable or reluctant to share their feelings. Hence it’s one of the most serious health issues in men. Depression along with stress and hormonal imbalance increases the negative effects on health. Sleep, energy, and appetite are affected as well. All this clubbed together leads to feelings of fear, hopelessness, and anger. As per our society norms, women experience depression more than men. This belief is prevalent as men are quite reluctant to seek any type of help. During the depression, women may cry and display sadness, whereas men demonstrate aggressive behavior and anger. Men try to cope in numerous ways, which at times may be unhealthy such as drinking and in severe cases may lead to suicide as well. Depression seems more common in elderly men. Its treatment may not always be by medicines. Consulting a psychologist will help as well. As most men are shy about this disease, online consultation with a doctor will be a more comfortable and convenient option for an elderly person. Psychotherapy helps a lot to manage such age–related depression; though medicines may be prescribed in some cases. One can prevent depression by keeping themselves engaged with their hobbies, or by socializing with friends and family.
Conclusion:
The life expectancy of man has increased considerably over the last few decades. How long one lives, is important at the same time the quality of life is equally important. To enjoy and live life to the fullest, one has to invest his time and effort to maintain health and prevent any kind of disease. And so, it is imperative to keep your belly, bones, and brain in top-notch shape.
Living a healthy life is very much possible in old age as well. Immunity from health problems is not just limited to young age. Men over the age of 60 too, can live a fit, healthy, and active life. Keeping a check on food and lifestyle will provide a significant result to keep all these problems away. One may have to put a little extra effort to eat right and healthy, regular exercise, and most importantly routine health check-ups to keep all these health issues at bay. Being aware of these common age-related health issues will not only help the concerned person but will also help the doctor to address any concerns in the patient’s health. The best option in today’s times would be to seek an online consultation with the doctor to avail of the quickest solution to any such health issues. On this note, being observant and taking good care of your health will help in the long run. Till then stay healthy, more importantly, stay happy, and enjoy the golden years of your life.
