Old age imbalance related to, inter alia, with dizziness and difficulty in maintaining body balance are considered by many to be trivial problems. In practice, however, they are definitely not such - imbalances can result not only in worse everyday functioning, but also in a fall, which can even result in serious fractures. What could be the causes of imbalances in older people, and what can be done to overcome this problem?
Contents:
- Old age balance disorders: causes
- Elderly balance disorder: symptoms
- Old age balance disorders: possible consequences
- Elderly balance disorders: diagnosis
- Elderly Balance Disorder: Treatment
Disturbances in the balance of old age are often underestimated, but in practice it absolutely should not be done. Difficulties with maintaining balance can have very serious consequences - especially for seniors -.
Balance - although we don't think about it on a daily basis - is an exceptionally important sense. The fact that we are able to maintain it depends on many different organs of the body, including the proper functioning of the cerebellum, as well as the sense organs, proprioception and the labyrinth. It is thanks to the cooperation of these two that we can maintain the correct posture when sitting, we do not wobble when standing, and we can keep a straight figure when we walk.
There are situations when some of the elements related to the sense of balance do not function fully properly and the patient develops some type of imbalance. In fact, they can occur at any age, but they are most common in the group of elderly people.
It is estimated that even one in three people over the age of 60 may face such difficulties.
Old age balance disorders: causes
There are quite a lot of possible causes of old age imbalances. However, one extremely important aspect should be emphasized here: it is definitely not possible to consider the problems with balance that arise in a senior as a mere manifestation of old age.
Yes, in people who have many years of life behind them, there are imbalancesthey appear much more frequently than in young people, but the source of this problem should always be sought in them - only after that it becomes possible to initiate appropriate interactions, thanks to which difficulties with maintaining the balance can be eliminated.
The following are the most common causes of imbalance in seniors:
- Meniere's disease
- headaches
- anxiety disorders
- low blood pressure
- dehydration
- visual disturbances (resulting from, among others, cataracts, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy)
- neuropathies (through which stimuli from various parts of the body - e.g. from the lower limbs - do not reach the central nervous system properly, which may result in problems with maintaining balance)
- labyrinthitis
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system (e.g. osteoporosis or osteoarthritis)
- dementia disorders
- liver diseases (especially those with hepatic encephalopathy)
- having a stroke
- neuroblastoma of the cochlear nerve
- neurological diseases (such as e.g. multiple sclerosis)
It also happens that old age imbalances are actually a side effect of medications taken by a senior. The preparations that most often lead to such an undesirable effect include:
- antidepressants
- drugs that lower blood pressure (hypotensive)
- anxiolytics
- preparations used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease
- painkillers (especially those with a stronger effect, such as opioid analgesics)
Elderly balance disorder: symptoms
A senior with a disturbed balance usually has a distinct difficulty in living normally. Eventually, he may experience problems with standing up, during which the patient may wobble or even fall down.
Often, difficulties also arise during walking: imbalances may result in the patient walking very unsteadily, in addition, he may stagger, which may be considered someone who has consumed excess alcohol.
A possible situation is that an elderly person will not be able to move even a few meters without supporting himself with some support, which may be a handrail by the stairs, in his senior home he can constantly support himself against various furniture .
Other symptoms of old age balance disorders that accompanymay be the above-mentioned difficulties, sometimes:
- dizziness
- nausea
- vomiting
- confusion
- visual disturbance (e.g. blurred image)
Old age balance disorders: possible consequences
Falls are generally the most serious potential consequence of imbalance in the elderly. They are included in the group of the most common problems encountered in the seniors population (i.e. the so-called large geriatric teams) and are noticed for a reason. Well, falls in seniors are simply extremely dangerous.
Due to the weakening of the bone structure, the elderly are extremely prone to fractures. One of the most dangerous in their case is a hip fracture. This often results in the need to stay in bed for a long time and undergo long-term rehabilitation. In addition, the above-mentioned type of fracture significantly increases the risk of death of an elderly person.
If you add the fact that experiencing imbalances on a daily basis significantly worsens the quality of life, the conclusion is one: you simply need to take old age imbalances seriously and it is definitely necessary to look for a way to reduce their severity. First, however, it is necessary to find out what exactly is the cause of them in a given patient.
Elderly balance disorders: diagnosis
In search of the cause of the balance disorder in old age, it is first of all necessary to perform a general assessment of the patient's he alth. It is important to obtain information, e.g. about whether he has any chronic diseases - for example, the fact that the patient has had diabetes for many years, may suggest the existence of neuropathy.
If this way it is not possible to find the potential basis for imbalances, then a lot of different tests can be performed in the patient.
Laboratory analyzes can be helpful, but also imaging tests (e.g. computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the head, in which one can detect, among others, post-stroke changes or the presence of a neuroma).
Cardiological, neurological or otolaryngological consultations are recommended.
Indeed, sometimes the path to finding the cause of an imbalance in old age can be very long, but in practice, a thorough diagnostic process really makes it possible to find the factor responsible for the occurrence of the patient's problems and then offer him a therapy that will improve his quality of life .
Disordersold age balance: treatment
Treatment of balance disorders in old age depends primarily on what led to the problem.
If the pharmaceuticals taken by the patient are most likely responsible for the problem, then it may be necessary to modify the pharmacotherapy by reducing their doses or replacing the medications taken so far by the patient, which will be less could lead to problems with maintaining balance.
In a situation where dehydration is a problem, treatment is quite simple - the patient is primarily recommended to increase his fluid intake.
In turn, when the balance disorders in old age are rooted in some chronic diseases - such as, for example, diabetes, glaucoma or multiple sclerosis - first of all, therapeutic interactions aimed at treating these diseases directly and striving to obtain the most stable possible their course (e.g. attempts to normalize the blood glucose level in a diabetic patient).
Properly conducted rehabilitation can also bring beneficial effects in the event of imbalances.
For seniors who struggle with imbalances, not only strictly medical interactions are important, but also taking care of their home environment.
It is worth equipping the apartment of an elderly relative with helpful equipment, e.g. placing appropriate handrails in the rooms or making sure that the senior bathroom always has something to hold on to.