Health Conditions Women Need To Look Out For As They Get Older

As we grow older and wiser, so do our bodies. Health conditions such as weakened vision and hearing loss are quite normal, but our bodies are much more than just our eyes and ears.

Here are a few common health conditions and symptoms a women at an older age should keep an eye on as we move gracefully through the aging process of life. And Hopefully look towards a longer and healthier life.

What Are Main Things That Women Need To Look Out For As We Get Older?

• Blood Pressure – High Blood Pressure and cause and be a symptom of many conditions including stroke.
• Breast Cancer – High mortality rate of not picked up early.
• Heart Disease – One of the biggest killer if modern society, but can be helped greatly by medical intervention.
• Diabetes – Caused by the body’s inability to control blood sugar.
• Arthritis – painful joints, bones, and tendons.
• Cervical Cancer – Usual more associated with younger women, but can still happen to older women too.
• Dizziness – Often know as Vertigo a quite common debilitating, short-lasting condition.
• Sexual Health – Sexually transmitted diseases and more prevalent in older women than people realize.
• Osteoporosis – A weakening disease of the bones.
• Stroke – A dangerous condition in the brain that needs to be acted on very quickly.
• Bowel & Bladder issues – Tests are recommended to pick up early any signs of cancer.
• Mental Health – depression and anxiety have a high prevalence amongst older women.
• Memory Loss & Alzheimer’s Disease – Seek medical help as soon as possible if any of the symptoms like memory loss are recognized.

Heart Disease and Older Women

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over the age of 65. Because your heart is working extra hard to pump blood to your body as you get older, the risk is higher for heart complications such as chest discomfort, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and nausea. These are also common signs of a heart attack, so be sure to connect with your doctor or medical professional immediately if you are experiencing any chest or heart pains.

The risk of heart disease is much lower for those who have an active lifestyle, do not smoke, and eat a healthy diet. Be sure you are getting your cholesterol levels checked regularly, at least twice a year if you are over 65.

The Common Signs of a Heart Attack

Pressure, pain, tightness, or a squeezing and/or aching sensation in your chest or your arms that may spread to your neck, jaw, or back.

• Nausea, indigestion, heartburn, or abdominal pain.
• Shortness of breath.
• Cold sweat.
• Fatigue.
• Feeling Lightheaded or suddenly dizzy.

Symptoms may last for 30 minutes or longer and aren’t relieved by rest. You can have a heart attack with no symptoms at all. This is more common if you have diabetes.

Breast Cancer and Older Women

Getting older is one of the most significant risk factors for women and breast cancer. As we age, mutations accumulate in our cells, including those that pose a risk of cancers forming, including breast cancer.
Living a healthy lifestyle is the best way to try and avoid any sort of cancer and is true of breast cancer as we get older too. Lack of physical activity, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight and smoking are all contributory factors. It is never too late to adopt some or all of these and create healthier life choices.

• Common Signs to check yourself for – breast cancer
• Constant pain in one part of your breast.
• Any discharge from either nipple or both.
• A new lump, or a lump or thickening within the breast or armpit.
• Any unusual change in the shape or size of either of your breasts.
• If one of your breasts has changed and become lower than the other.Changes in skin color or a rash around either or both nipples.
• A nipple that has become pulled in or changed its position or shape (retraction of the nipples is normal in some women).
• Puckering or dimpling of the skin.

The earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater the chance of successful treatment and cure. Make sure you get anything you discover by a medical professional and don’t worry, most breast lumps are not cancerous!

How and When To Check Your Breasts

Ideally you should examine your breasts once a month, for women preferably immediately after the end of your period. If you are older and finished your periods, check yourself on the same day each month. If you have not sure, please consult your doctor.

Checking Your Breasts For Cancer

Begin by facing a mirror or lying down.

Checking your breasts will only take you. few minutes.
You don’t need and special training to check your breasts and there is no special technique.

Check your whole breast area, including your upper chest and armpits.

Touch your breasts: can you feel anything unusual?

Look for changes: does anything look different?

Talk about any changes you find with a qualified medial professional

Osteoporosis

Particularly as we women grow older, so do all the bones in our beautiful bodies. New bone tissue tends to be created at a much slower pace because old bone tissue must be absorbed first. This means our bones become weaker and thinner.

Osteoporosis is common among older women, its simply a disease where the bones become very brittle and can even break if there is intense pressure on the bone such as a fall.

There are no noticeable symptoms of osteoporosis, so check in with your doctor about a bone density test (DEXA scan), in order to check on your bone health.

What Can Older Women do fight against osteoporosis

Calcium and vitamin D can help keep our bones strong, to help prevent the onset of osteoporosis and these can be taken in a number of food supplements. Here are some food types also said to be good for bone health:
Dairy products: milk, yogurt, cheese and calcium-fortified cottage cheese. Green leafy vegetables: broccoli, kale, collard greens, dried figs, turnip greens, and mustard greens. Fish: canned salmon and sardines with the bones. Nuts: almonds and Brazil nuts.

Also light exercise like walk, yoga or tai chi is said to be helpful.

Diabetes in Older Women

Diabetes can affect a woman at any age, but the risk increases with time. Around 25% of people above the age of 65 have diabetes in the United States.

Diabetes simply means blood sugar is not regulated through the body and is typically way too high. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to even bigger health risks such as a stroke, blindness, or heart disease.

Call your doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Going to the toilet a lot especially at night.
• Loosing weight without trying to.
• Genital itch or thrush
• Blurry eyesight
• Extreme hunger or thirst
• Cuts and grazes take longer to heal.
• Feeling very tired all the time

If you think you may have diabetes you should contact your medical practitioner as soon as possible. Initially, they will most likely do a urine test and then a blood test.

Trouble Balancing and Dizziness – Vertigo

As we age, balance is something that does not always age well with us. 24% of women over the age of 70 suffer from chronic dizziness, which is usually caused by inner ear problems. This dizziness, often referred to as vertigo, is most likely to happen if you have had a recent bout of cold or flu.

Some other issues causing the off-balanced feeling could be certain medications. It is important to check with your doctor if you are feeling dizzy or unable to maintain balance throughout the day.  Mostly, it can be helped by medication, but you doctor will want rules out that it nothing more serious.

This dizziness can feel particularly unpleasant with the sensation the room is going round, which is often compounded by being nauseous being brought on by a type of motion sickness.

How can you treat yourself for the dizziness when it occurs?
Lie down, move very slowly and carefully until the dizziness passes. Drink plenty of fluids, plain water being best. Avoid high caffeine drinks like tea and coffee, as well as alcohol.

Arthritis In Older Women

The word arthritis is used to describe pain, swelling and stiffness in a joint or joints. Arthritis is not a single condition and there are several different types.
The main types of arthritis being:

Osteoarthritis; basically ware and tear to out joints and bones over the years. The joints have poor lubrication due to worn or damages cartilage and this often cases bone malformations.

Gout; a type of inflammatory arthritis that can cause very painful swelling in joints. It typically affects the big toe, but it can also affect other joints in the body. Often seen in comedy routines of the past and associated with an old man who drinks too much port.

Rheumatoid Arthritis; a type of inflammatory arthritis. It is what is known as an auto-immune condition, where the bodies immune system attacks itself, creating a stiffening and swelling of the joints. This can lead to swollen and tender joints, swelling and stiffness in joints in the morning that lasts for longer than half an hour, severe tiredness, also called fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell. Rheumatoid Arthritis is usually treated with drugs to lower the overactive immune system.

Spondyloarthritis; describes a number of conditions that cause pain and swelling, mainly around the joints of the spine. With these conditions there is inflammation of small pieces of connective tissues, called entheses. These are tough little cords that join either ligaments or tendons to bones.

There are far too many types of arthritis to list within the scope of this article and more about arthritis and older women can be found here.

One out of every five women in the United States suffer from arthritis , and a third of those women are over the age of 65. Bones begin to scrape against each other because of the loss of fluid and cartilage in a joint, leading to painful movements.

Some types of food are said to be good for arthritis;

It is particularly important to eat a healthy, balanced diet if you have arthritis. Eating healthily will give you all the nutrients you need and help you maintain a healthy weigh and not put too much weight on those joints.

Your diet should consist of a variety of foods from all 6 food groups. These are:

• fruit and vegetables
• starchy foods – such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta.
• oily fish and or fish oil like cod liver oil.
• meat, eggs and beans.
• milk and dairy foods.
• foods containing fat and sugar.
  
  I may well be worth avoiding processed foods, such as baked goods and prepackaged meals & snacks, red meat and fried foods. Take it easy on the alcohol too.

Consult with your medical expert or doctor if you’re experiencing joint pain and see if there’s a treatment option for you.

Bowel & Bladder issues

Bathroom issues increase with age. It happens, it’s normal, and it’s okay.  Constipation and incontinence are more common in women, so ladies don’t feel embarrassed if this happens to you. It’s completely normal.

Incontinence is caused by pelvic muscles losing strength over time, which happens to all ladies as we age.

Constipation is caused by dehydration, lack of physical activity, and lack of fiber. If you’re suffering from chronic constipation, visit with your doctor and see if you need a change in diet.

Regular stool tests for blood recommended to pick up the early signs of any cancer.

Memory Loss & Alzheimer’s Disease

Our memory ages with us. It’s normal. The hippocampus which is the area of our brains associated with memories deteriorates with age. Also, as we age, blood flow to the brain decreases which impairs memory.

If you or someone around you is noticing your memory declining at a more rapid rate, it’s time to get evaluated by your doctor. Occasional forgetfulness like misplacing your keys is okay. Forgetting to pay bills, finding it difficult to make choices, and even getting lost can be signs that something a little more serious is happening.

Research suggests that changes in the brain, with this disease, can occur up to ten years before a person starts to show symptoms. The symptoms are usually mild at the beginning and gradually get worse over time. Some, not all, of the symptoms may include:

• difficulty remembering recent events, whilst having a good memory for past events.
• very poor concentration.
• difficulty recognizing things or people.
• very poor organization skills.
• confusion and disorientation.
• slow, muddled and or repetitive speech.
• withdrawal from family and friends.
• problems with making decisions.

Medication can slow the progression of the disease and manage its effects.

It is important to seek medical help as soon as possible if any of the symptoms are recognized.

It is said by many knowledgeable people of the subject, that “Brain Training” could be a way of keeping your brain alert as we get older. Games, puzzles and working on problems will keep your brain working is said to be a good idea. The “use it or loose it” principle.

Testing For Cervical Cancer

The cervical screening test checks for human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and changes in the cells covering the neck of your womb. These changes could later develop into cervical cancer if they are not treated.

The good thing is, that as you get older you are less likely to have this condition, particularly one you get past 65 years old.  However, you should still regularly, about every three years. Even if you are not sexually active you should get tested anyway.

Most people will not experience pain from cervical screening, smear test, but sometimes the speculum can be uncomfortable.

 The Common Early Signs of Cervical Cancer

• Blood spotting or light bleeding between or after your periods.
• Menstrual bleeding that is longer and heavier than usual.
• Painful sexual intercourse.
• Bleeding after sexual intercourse or douching.
• Vaginal discharge that does not stop, and may be pale, watery, pink, brown, bloody, or bad smelling.
• Bleeding even beyond the menopause.
• Unexplained, persistent back and, or, pelvic pain.

Always take advice from a fully qualified medical professional, particularly if you are worried about any possible symptoms.

Blood Pressure and Strokes in Older Women

Symptoms unique to women

Women may report symptoms not often associated with strokes in men. These can include:

nausea or vomiting – seizures – hiccups – trouble breathing – pain – fainting or loss of consciousness – general weakness

Because these symptoms are unique to women, it is hard to immediately connect them to the likelihood of a stroke. This can delay in treatment could well hinder recovery.

More common stroke symptoms found in both men and women are:

If you’re a woman and unsure whether your symptoms are that of a stroke, you should still call your local emergency services. Once paramedics arrive on the scene, they can assess your symptoms and begin treatment, if needed.

• sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• sudden numbness or weakness of your face and your limbs, which occurs most times on one side of the body.
• sudden trouble speaking or understanding people,  which then relates to confusion.
• sudden and severe headache with no known cause.
• sudden dizziness, trouble walking, or loss of balance or coordination.

Being that time is of the essence in getting people to hospital and have having a good outcome in the case of a stroke. This is a health message put out by the NHS in the UK to teach people the quickly recognize a stroke.

The main symptoms of stroke can be remembered with the word FAST:

Face – the face may have dropped on 1 side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped.

Arms – the person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in 1 arm.

Speech – their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all despite appearing to be awake; they may also have problems understanding what you’re saying to them.

Time – it’s time to dial the emergency services immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms.

As with all these things and good diet and lifestyle will hopefully avoid a stoke happening to you.

Sexual Health And Older Women

A considerable amount of clinical research on sexual dysfunction in older women has been carried out. A recent survey of older women showed that lack of interest in sex, failure to achieve orgasm, and poor vaginal lubrication were the main reported causes of sexual problems.  However, poor health, rather than chronological age, may underlie some of these problems.

The sexual needs and desires of older women need to be acknowledged and respected, regardless of their marital status or sexual orientation.

In older women, the menopause marks a period of important physiologic change. During this period, older women would possible benefit from access to health education and to learn how to adjust to these changes in their bodies and to find ways to express their sexuality. It would be a good idea to talk to a health professional with understanding of sexual needs of women in older age.

It is also important to have an occasional STI checkup, especially if you have a new partner. Surprisingly, older women seem to be at a greater risk from sexually transmitted diseases. This is in part due, to the fact that older people are far less likely to use a condom, probably because that getting pregnant is less likely to be an issue.

Getting an STI and HIV test is extremely simple and carries much less of a stigma these days and could done as part of you overall health checkup.

Mental Health With Older Women

Mental health is often misunderstood by people who have not suffered it. The common mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety and the prevalence amongst older women may often be higher than among younger women.

Older women are the primary consumers of mental health services. For women trying to access mental health care can be struggle, and older women it can be worse. This is due to stigma, misinformation, and false beliefs about aging and often go without adequate care for depression and other psychiatric illnesses. It is important for you to seek help and support if you feel you have a problem.

Apart from getting professional help there are a few things you can do to help yourself; good diet exercise will be you a better chance of overcoming issues; wellness practices like Yoga and Tai Chi have often proved to be helpful; Do not isolate yourself, get out and about as much as you can and talk to your friends

Going for tests and a complete check-up

Our intention has not been to scare you, but as we get older, we just cannot avoid some illness and some certain conditions coming our way. Apart from eating well, keeping ourselves are fit and we can. It is a good idea now and then to have a check-up now and then with a hospital clinic or doctor. There are a whole variety of types of check-ups and places to have them, so we have listed a few below.