1) Cerebral Artery

Stroke – cerebral blockage or hemorrhage – is caused by degeneration of the blood vessels. When they become harden or thicken, they can lead to a dangerous disease that causes the brain to stop functioning abruptly.  Its severity depends on the duration and location of the stroke as well as the size of the blood vessel involved. Noticeable symptoms include loss of balance, trouble walking, dizziness, acute vertigo, double vision, drooping smile or face, weakness in the arms and legs, slurred speech and trouble speaking. Risk factors consist of obesity, stress, lack of exercise, and smoking, as well as congenital diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart arrhythmia.  So, you should be vigilant to prevent these diseases. 

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2) Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

This happens when there is a plaque build-up on the wall of the artery, hardening it and leading to a blockage of the blood vessels in the arms and legs. The severity depends on the size of the blockage. Obvious symptoms include cramping in the calves and legs, ranging from mild to persistent pain. If the blockage restricts blood circulation to the lower extremity, it can cause lingering lesion around the feet and toes area which is serious and must be treated promptly. So, you need to keep any chronic condition under control. 

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3) Diabetes, Hypertension, Cholesterol

These are the most common diseases in the Thais’ aging society. Diabetes causes escalated blood glucose level which damages the artery, while hypertension thickens the heart muscle and, if the condition becomes chronic, can lead to heart failure.  In addition, high cholesterol is a risk factor for constricted and blocked blood vessels. If it is severe enough, it can cause stroke and, consequently, paralysis .  Therefore, you need to avoid sweet as well as oily and salty foods, quit smoking and drinking alcohol, control your body weight and stress.  Annual health checks will help keep these dangers away.  

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4) Osteoporosis 

Osteoporosis is common among people over 50, especially more so in women than men.  Once a woman reaches menopause, her estrogen level will be low and this causes the bones to become brittle.  The fact that osteoporosis displays no early warning sign is worrisome, as sometimes a bone is broken before the condition is realized.  Common noticeable symptom is back pain that increases over time because of the gradual bone loss.   Food rich in calcium can help slow down the degeneration; but you should exercise regularly, quit smoking and drinking alcohol.  Importantly, you should prevent a fall.  If you notice any sign of osteoporosis, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible.  

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5) Vitamins Deficiency Osteoporosis

Vitamins keep your body functioning properly.  When your body lacks certain vitamins, though it may not exhibit any severe symptoms, your immune system will actually be affected which exposes you to many health risks.  People in their 50’s usually lack vitamin D that helps absorb calcium to strengthen their bones.  Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of osteoporosis.  Moreover, vitamin A, B, E and C as well as minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, etc., all help keep your body in tune.  Therefore, you need to eat well-balanced meals to avoid vitamins deficiency.  

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6) Insomnia

Sleep is the best medicine! Sleep disorders – such as insomnia, snoring and sleep apnea – can lead to serious health problems that include enlarged heart and hypertension, both of which can make it more difficult to manager your other comorbidities.  There is also a chance of the severe heart arrythmia that can be fatal.    Therefore, if you have insomnia, you need to consult a doctor for treatment before it is too late.  

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7) Thyroid Disorders

When your thyroid does not work properly, it will harmfully affect your body.  This situation is more common in women than men.  The symptoms include: fatigue, tiredness, heart palpitations, hair loss, difficlulty sleeping, sleepy all the time, weight fluctuations, excessive hunger or lost appetite, constipation, sensitive to temparature, and dry skin.  If you experience these conditions, please consult your doctor for a timely treatment.  

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8) Enlarged Prostate

This is common among men over 45 years old, as the prostate is so abnormally large that it constricts the urinary tract and makes it difficult to urinate. You may feel the urge to urinate frequently at night, cannot hold urine, have to apply pressure to urinate or cannot urinate altogether.  You may also experience weak urine stream, inability to empty the bladder, or extremely severe urge to urinate.  All of these conditions will adversely affect your daily life.  So, if you experience any of these symptoms, you should consult your doctor promptly. Otherwise, it can lead to urinary tract infection, bloody urine, kidney deterioration, and, ultimately, kidney failure. 

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9) Cancer

In people from the age of 50 onwards, cancer is generally caused by cells that grow so rapidly that the body cannot control.  The cells subsequently invade the nearby organs or spread to other parts of the body.  Common cancers among people 50 and older include colon, breast, cervical, liver, prostate, ovarian, pancreatic, etc.  Noticeable symptoms consist of bloody or abnormal excrements, an unusual and fast-growing lump or growth on the body, persistent lesion, hoarse voice, chronic coughing, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, wart or mole or birthmark that has unexpectedly changed.  If you experience any of these symptoms, you should consult your doctor for proper treatment immediately.  

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10) Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is closer than you think.  This can be acute or chronic kidney failure.  The disease is caused by a lack of blood supply to a kidney due to, for example, blocked blood vessels, inflammation of a kidney – with as well as without any infection.  Other causes include dangerous toxin or inflammation of the blood vessels in a kidney.  For kidney disease that comes from urinary tract, initial apparent symptoms are fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, skin itches, unusualy brief or frequent urination, swelling around the eyes or legs, tiredness, high blood pressure, and cramp, etc.  A health check that includes kidney function analysis is, thus, important and should not be overlooked until the kidneys become irrecoverable.  

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11) Ureteric Stone

Ureteric stone is something you should not ignore because, if it is left untreated and has become so large that it causes a blockage, it can lead to abrasion and bleeding.  The condition is more common among men than women.  Urinary tract infection, insufficient fluid intake, hereditary, some medication, red meat, very salty or food containing too much offal – all can cause ureteric stone.  If you experience any of these symptoms, you should consult your doctor promptly: discomfort around the waist or abdomen (this depends on the location of the stone), pain or intermittent or difficultly urinating, or bloody urine.  Otherwise, you risk having kidney failure in the future.  Click for more information: https://www.bangkokhospital.com/content/ercp-and-laparoscopic-cholecystectomy

12) Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis of the knee can be found among people over 45 years old.  This is because of the movements and active usage throughout the years.  Other causes include a prior accident, other comorbidities such as rheumatoid or other types arthritis, and obesity, etc.  General symptoms consist of knee pain while squatting or kneeling or sitting with legs folded, ascending or descending stairs.  The pain can be unbearably severe.  There are treatments with as well as without medication.  The latter involves changing your actions: avoid squatting or kneeling or sitting with your legs folded, keep your weight to within the healthy range, and exercise regularly.  If you experience extreme knee pain, you should have your knees examined for a proper treatment.  

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13) Eye Disease

Your eyes degenerate naturally as you age.  Eye examination is, thus, very important as it allows any disorder to be identified.  Common eye diseases consist of glaucoma, cataract, pterygium, vitreous and macular degeneration, dry eye, and color blindness – which is more common in men than women and can only be diagnosed after being examined by an ophthalmologist.  In addition, when you are 40 or older – regardless of our gender – you are normally at risk of long-sightedness.  Therefore, you need to have your eyes examined so that any issue can be properly addressed.  

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14) Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s or memory loss generally is diagnosed among people 40 years and older.  It is caused by deterioration of the brain cells due to various factors such as aging, hereditary, brain injury, cerebrovascular disease, and brain infection. The disease gradually exhibits the symptoms until the patient’s memory and brain become clearly deteriorated. It is crucial that you observe yourself and those around you for unusual forgetfulness that affects important daily activities.  If there is an abnormality, you should consult a specialist immediately.  Waiting for the condition to worsen until you suffer insomnia or hallucination can make the disorder very difficult to treat and you risk needing a permanent caregiver to prevent harm to yourself that can occur at any moment for the rest of your life.