Your Health By The Decade: Turning 50

June 5, 2022

Whether you feel like you are defying your age or feeling every move you make, age 50 is when many women say they have come into their own.

It’s also the decade when some common health concerns may start showing up at your door unannounced. Just like any party crasher, how you handle their unexpected arrival can make or break the celebration.

In order to stay fabulous in your 50s, you need to stay informed. Our friends at CEENTA helped us put together a list to keep you the hostess with the most-est from head to toe.

Keep an eye on it

Night Vision

Maybe you’re still in full swing of being your kids’ ride or maybe you’re enjoying a kid-free date night, but seeing while getting from A to B can become harder in your 50s, especially at night.

Without adequate light, you can also cause eyestrain because your eyes have to work harder to see in the dark, and as a result they get tired quicker.

Pay attention to the symptoms:

Sore, tired, burning, itching, watery, or dry eyes
Blurry vision; a headache; sore neck or shoulders
Light sensitivity

Patients having difficulty seeing at night is something CEENTA Optometrist, Kelly Doty, OD sees regularly. If you’re straining – or even just thinking that things don’t look quite right, it’s time to schedule an appointment.

Dry Eyes

Dry eyes often increases with age, because tear production slows. For women, this is especially true after menopause.

How do you know if you have dry eyes?

It’s the opposite of what you may think ~ your eyes constantly produce tears at a slow and steady rate.

What can you do?

Your hair may not appreciate it, but your dry eyes will: add a humidifier to the rooms you spend the most time in
Avoid dry air from overheated rooms and hair dryers
Get an A on Vitamin A absorbency… a good diet, particularly one high in vitamin A, can also help prevent dry eye, and keep your eyes healthy in general.

Dr. Ernest Bhend, CEENTA ophthalmologist, offers additional advice regarding treatment options. “I advise patients not to rub or wipe at the eyes as this can irritate the surface of the eyes and the eyelids. Also, avoid the redness relief drops like Visine or Clear-Eyes as the medicine that constricts the blood vessels can actually irritate the eyes over time and make the symptoms worse.”

Quick Tip

Place a warm washcloth over your eyes or wear a Bruder mask – which are available at CEENTA – for 15 minutes to help stimulate tear production. There are more great tips on treating and managing your dry eye here.

Glaucoma

Being in your 50s puts you more at risk for glaucoma. the best thing to do is talk with an ophthalmologist to aid in early detection.

The risk factors vary, but being in your 50s, of African or Hispanic heritage, or have family members with glaucoma increases your chances.

Other common health issues that increase when you age such as diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure and poor blood circulation are known risk factors for glaucoma.

Listen Up

From lawnmowers to live music, by the time we hit our 50s our ears have been exposed to decades of noises.

How do you know if you’re becoming hard of hearing?

Well, first there are three primary categories: sensorineural, conductive, and mixed. The most common sensorineural loss is high-frequency, typically associated with aging or noise exposure, and often both.

High-frequency loss is also often the hardest one to self-diagnose because it happens gradually over the years.

A common comment that CEENTA audiologist hear is that people say that they can hear, but not clearly. Hearing aids can really help – and have come a long way in size and sophistication over the years.

Tinnitus is no Joke

Tinnitus is the perception of a sound that has no external source. Some of the more common sounds reported are ringing, humming, buzzing, and cricket-like chirps.

Because tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease itself, it can have a number of causes. It is most often caused by hearing loss, but it can also be caused by thyroid problems, blood circulation problems, some medications, and stress – many of which present as we age.

While there is no cure, there are some treatments. Sound therapy, such as white noise or nature sound machines, has been proven beneficial in alleviating tinnitus (by helping sufferers to avoid silence) and the audiologists at CEENTA can also fit devices that use built-in sound generators to provide pleasant sound to the auditory cortex that disrupts the awareness of the signal in the brain.

A Wrinkle in Time

Let’s face it, you’ve earned those wrinkles but it’s OK if you maybe want to see a few less of them.

What Causes Facial Aging?

Facial aging is caused by a combination of volume loss (deflation), gravity (sagging), and bone remodeling (loss of support). Changes occur at every level and the result is a change in facial shape and texture.

Dr. Catherine Cuite, CEENTA oculoplastic specialist at the SouthPark office says: “As we age our skin turns over less, and it loses elasticity.” Not to worry, or rather if you are worried about wrinkles there’s two things that Dr. Cuite recommends to see results:

“To improve skin turnover use Retinols at night. These products increase cellular turnover and help reduce fine lines, improving brightness and smoothness. Elasticity loss can make thin skin sag. SkinMedica’s TNS Advanced it approved for gently firming and tightening skin. Both of these important skin care choices are available in Suite 1A at SouthPark CEENTA Aesthetics.”

CEENTA also offers laser skin resurfacing treatments including FOREVER YOUNG BBL™ BY SCITON TREATMENT, and DEKA DOT CO2 LASER TREATMENT.

Balance

If you’re in your 50s you’ve probably found your nerve but may be losing your balance. While dizziness and balance disorders can afflict anyone, they are common in older patients.

If you have chronic balance problems and dizziness you know how much it can affect your daily routines. From plays to parties it’s hard to function if you’re afraid your symptoms may onset at any time.

Many people in their 50s experience vertigo which is a spinning sensation that can be accompanied by nausea, while other people report symptoms of disorientation, lack of balance, light-headedness, and swaying.

CEENTA to the rescue!

What is a videonystagmography balance test?

We hope you’ve had your coffee because this is a big word… the videonystagmography (VNG) test is a balance test used to evaluate problems with balance and equilibrium such as vertigo.

You may look ridiculous while taking it, but the VNG is considered the gold standard for balance testing. During the test you don goggles which have cameras above each eye, and these cameras record all eye movements throughout testing, measuring reflexes, and the impact of dizziness when you’re put in different positions. There is also an inner ear system evaluation that is part of the test.

CEENTA audiologists can test your balance using the most up-to-date technology in a comfortable environment.

So, that’s your top list of things to watch out for this decade and remember you’re not alone – the systems are common and we are lucky to have such state-of-the-art solutions available in Charlotte to keep us looking, hearing, and feeling good.

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates, P.A. (CEENTA) has nearly 140 providers in almost 20 locations bringing specialty care to the community. CEENTA provides comprehensive pediatric and adult eye, ear, nose and throat care, and highly specialized care, too.

These services include but are not limited to: audiology, allergy treatment, cataract surgery, cochlear implants, cornea diseases, diabetic eye care, glaucoma treatment, head and neck cancer, neuro-ophthalmology, oculoplastics, optical and contact lenses, pediatric airway care, sleep medicine, thyroid treatment, and voice and swallowing care.