Getting Older- What's Normal, What's Not

The aches and pains, the balding, the creaky knees, the urge to take a nap all the time- these are just normal signs of getting older, right? Well, getting older is just a part of life, but most signs of getting on in years are subtle and become noticeable over time. They don't just blast you in the face overnight (in other words, you shouldn't go gray in a day). How do you tell what is normal with getting older, and what you should be concerned about?

Common sense is a big one. If all of a sudden one knee starts throbbing out of nowhere, don't assume old age has anything to do with it. Wouldn't getting older affect both knees? Think about it- if all of a sudden your jaw hurts on one side, or you start losing clumps of hair all at once, it's not just you getting older- odds are, something is seriously wrong. Getting older doesn't attack the body, it creeps up on it.

However, in reality it's all downhill after age 30. So over time you may find your hair losing its luster, you're squinting more often when you had eyes like a hawk before, your butt isn't as firm as it was, and those wrinkles! Where did those come from? A gradual decline is to be expected with getting older, but watch out for the sudden impacts.

You will forget some of the things you used to do on a routine basis, but you won't suddenly become dizzy, disoriented, or forget your own name. Unfortunately, a stroke is a common thing among getting older, so while the symptoms shouldn't be typical of getting older, they are a sign of age-related stroke. Health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, stroke, and memory loss (dementia) are to be expected with getting older, but don't just brush off the sudden double vision. While these conditions come along with old age, they are very serious.

As you get older, you should expect your strength and stamina to get lower. This starts at about age 20, when you've hit your physical peak so far as strength. So you can expect to be unable to lift your wife like you used to (well, age-related weight gain can play a role in this as well) or be unable to throw a ball like you used to. Again, this happens over time, not overnight.

Yes, you will either gain or lose weight as you get older, since your metabolism will take a break. You will shrink, because your spine starts to contract. Your ears will get bigger, so will your nose. You will get broken blood vessels on your face. You will say, "eh?" more often because, by golly- you just plain can't hear on the first try! But this stuff should happen so gradually (including that tell-tale creak in your knees and wrists when you move them) that you don't notice it for years. If it seems like a sudden attack or you just plain don't feel right, well then, see your doctor. Better safe than sorry for sure.

Source:

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/normal-aging-changes-and-symptoms