Tips for Staying Healthy in Your 50s (part ll)

Common Health Concerns in Your 50s

A number of medical conditions are more common in people over the age of 50 than in younger adults. Health concerns that increase with age include the following:

• Abnormal blood sugar levels (insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes)
• Anxiety
• Cancer (breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, skin cancer)
• Changes in vision
• Chronic pain (arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, back pain)
• Depression
• Digestive issues
• Erectile dysfunction (ED)
• Hair loss in men and women (thinning hair, male pattern baldness)
• Hearing loss
• Heart disease (talk to your health care provider about the benefits and risks of aspirin therapy)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High cholesterol, triglycerides and homocysteine levels
• Menopause (average age of menopause in women in the U.S. is 51; may cause hot flashes, weight gain, vaginal dryness and female sexual dysfunction and increase the risk for heart disease, bone loss and other health problems)
• Osteoporosis (bone loss, thinning)
• Overactive bladder (OAB)
• Prostate issues (benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH, enlarged prostate])
• Skin problems (adult acne, sun damage, age spots, wrinkles, dry skin)
• Thyroid problems
• Urinary incontinence

Health Care Recommendations in Your 50s

Recommendations for medical exams, screening procedures, routine tests and immunizations in your 50s vary depending on your family history, your overall health and your personal risk factors. Remember, you are the best advocate when it comes to your health, so talk to your health care provider if you have concerns.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the goals of routine health care in your 50s are to develop and maintain the doctor-patient relationship, encourage a healthy lifestyle, screen for disease, assess risk for medical problems (including mental health issues) and update immunizations.

Ask your health care provider about routine exams, screening procedures and immunizations recommended for people in their 50s—and follow his or her recommendations. In general, routine health care for people 50 – 59 years of age includes the following:

• Physical exam (check-up)—at least every 2 years or as recommended; height, weight and BMI calculation, blood tests, urinalysis and mental health screening
• Dental exam and cleaning—every 6 months to 1 year or as recommended
• Comprehensive eye exam—every 2 years or as recommended
• Blood pressure screening—every year or as recommended; more often if you have hypertension or other conditions like diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease; ask your health care provider about the benefits and risks of aspirin therapy to reduce heart attack and stroke risk
• Cholesterol screening—every 5 years or as recommended
• Diabetes screening—as recommended
• Skin exam to determine your skin cancer risk—every year or as recommended
• Baseline EKG (electrocardiogram)
• Colorectal cancer screening—beginning at age 50; earlier if at increased risk (e.g., due to family history of the disease)
• Immunizations—annual flu (influenza) vaccine, tetanus booster (every 10 years) and whooping cough, pneumococcal and hepatitis vaccines (as recommended)
• Screening tests for women in their 50s—annual clinical breast exam , pelvic exam and mammogram; Pap test, HPV test and bone density test (as recommended)
• Screening tests for men in their 50s—testicular exam at every physical exam or as recommended; prostate cancer screening as recommended

Source: http://www.healthcommunities.com/