What Health Specialists Should You Be Seeing As You Age?

Modern technology and medicine are genuinely brilliant things. It’s challenging to grasp that a few hundred years ago, the average life expectancy was around thirty years old. It’s now around the late seventies or early eighties, depending on your gender, diet, lifestyle and other factors. Thanks to modern medicine, health complications that would’ve meant a certain death sentence is now relatively straightforward to treat.

Yet as you age, you need to be more conscious of your health. Your metabolism slows when you hit middle age, and you can gain weight easier and struggle to keep it off. Other health issues can emerge in your senior years, and it pays to be proactive about these.

Being proactive about your health means seeing health specialists as you age. This helpful article will share precisely what specialists you should see as you age. Read on to discover more.

Dentist

Your oral health is essential, as the tooth aging process can mean that your teeth can become prone to plaque, or tooth decay, as you get older. This could be further complicated if you failed to nurture good dental health while you were younger. A variety of factors can cause tooth decay, including drinks such as tea and coffee, sugary snacks, poor fluid intake and more. A dentist is an excellent health professional to have on your team as you get older. They can provide regular checkups and cleans and can always perform procedures such as fillings or root canals if required. Some people might require dentures as they get older, in which case a dentist can assist with these or refer to a specialist oral expert who can sort this out.

Optometrist

Your eyes can be one of the first organs to deteriorate as you age. Even if you’ve had 20/20 vision your whole adult life, you can find yourself squinting at writing or traffic lights when you’re driving when you get older. Furthermore, if you’re over 60, you’re at a higher risk of developing glaucoma, which can result in vision loss if left untreated. So, suppose you still enjoy reading books and driving. In that case, you should have an optometrist who can test your vision, prescribe glasses if required and treat conditions such as glaucoma.

Audiologist

Hearing loss is quite a common issue for seniors. You can probably remember the elders in your life using hearing aids or being hard of hearing. An audiologist can test your hearing and assist you in managing hearing impairment. They can also recommend and help you use a hearing aid, including customising one to fit your ears. An Audiologist can also refer you to other services, such as a Speech Pathologist, if your hearing issues are causing problems in your vocal communication.

Cardiologist

Cardiovascular problems, or issues related to your heart and blood circulation, are pretty common among older people. In fact, most cardiologists’ books are comprised of elderly patients. Your cardiologist can help treat issues such as angina and heart disease or can help you recover after a cardiac arrest or heart attack. They can also liaise with your other health specialists and create a treatment plan based on your other medical conditions and what other prescription medications you may already be taking.

Urologist

As you get older, your bladder wall loses elasticity. You may need to urinate more frequently than when you were younger, as your bladder can’t hold as much urine. Furthermore, your bladder muscles become weak, meaning incontinence can be an issue as you age. In addition, issues such as urethra blockages and urinary tract infections can occur. If you’re facing any of these issues, you should include a urologist on your team of specialists. A urologist can also address erectile dysfunction, which can occur in senior men.

Rheumatologist

As you age, your body begins to wear and tear, a normal part of ageing. A disease called osteoarthritis can impact your cartilage, bones and ligaments and can cause severe joint pain. This is quite a common condition and can have disabling impacts if left untreated. A rheumatologist can help you manage this condition and arrest its progression. The same specialist can treat autoimmune conditions such as fibromyalgia and tendinitis and issues like chronic back or hip pain. They can also liaise with pain management specialists to manage your pain levels appropriately.

A Specialist Summary

This helpful article has informed you about what health specialists you should see as you age. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Still, we’ve covered the most common health issues that impact seniors and the trained professionals that can assist you in managing these conditions. A final reminder that eating well, exercising, and engaging in hobbies and interests can all be strong protective factors against health issues in seniors.