Good balance is preferably something you want control over for the rest of your life.
For younger people, maintaining strong core muscles should keep balance in check, unless you were the black sheep of the family who inherited the clumsy gene.
Unfortunately, age has a way of making the situation more complicated.
It’s only natural that muscles are going to get weaker, along with your bones and your vision. In some cases, not having a balance can be caused by medication. And these elements will influence your ability to stand and walk without falling over. However, it doesn’t mean these elements should take over completely. They might have an influence, but only to a certain degree.
It’s also for this reason that you want to investigate the situation if you or an elderly person you know can’t maintain basic balance. It can be any number of reasons why keeping your balance is so difficult, and here are five of the most common ones.
1. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Also referred to as BPPV, it is incredibly common to see this specific balance disorder if you look at the research by the National Institutes of Health. But strangely enough, it’s actually not as well-known to the public. The symptoms tend to surface once you go north of 60, so pay attention to intense bouts of vertigo when head movement is involved, because it’s the clearest symptom. The source of the problem lies inside the inner ear, and something as simple as turning over in bed can make you feel dizzy. The disturbance within the ear can be related to a possible head injury, an infection, or simply the process of aging.
2. Ménière’s Disease
This disease deserves a top spot because it is also prone to plague aging individuals. One of the symptoms can be described as a “full” feeling inside your ear, which can be accompanied by excessive vertigo spells and even temporary hearing loss. The ability to hear plays a vital role in keeping your balance.
3. Labyrinthitis
This is an ear infection usually associated with the flu, and it also causes the inner ear to become inflamed. The consequence results in a very difficult time standing or walking.
4. Possible Conditions That Are Chronic In Nature
Of course, not all imbalance problems can be traced back to the ears. Chronic conditions, especially those that have been around a while, can dramatically influence your ability to maintain balance. A good example would be eye problems, which can easily make balancing difficult.
As for the long-term conditions, these are typically rooted in medical complications, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
There is also the complications created by heart conditions and arthritis, not to mention the prescription medication to ease all these conditions.
5. Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
Shingles are known to target older people, and sometimes the skin virus brings with it several problems. It can possibly affect facial nerves that are situated very close to the ear, which will officially make it Ramsay Hunt Syndrome.
People with this problem is going to experience vertigo, and quite possibly some hearing loss and ear pain. If these symptoms sound familiar, either to you or someone you know, it’s time to go see a professional.
Fall Prevention
They say the best way to treat a problem is to prevent it. If you are suffering from persistent falling and losing your balance, take a good look at your home and surroundings. Are there factors that put you at risk? Such as low lighting or too many steps?
One out of three Americans are going to experience some type of a fall every year, and it’s no wonder why falling is the main reason why seniors become disabled. When this is the case for you, why not consider moving to a place that specifically caters to this situation? In other words, a community that helps to prevent unnecessary falls.
Assisting Hands Houston has provided the best senior caregiving in Houston for quite some time now. Please feel free to contact us or call us today for more information regarding in-home care and any questions you may have regarding the services we provide.
