Falls in Elderly Indicate Illness - Solutions Magazine, Summer 2008 - Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

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	Falls in Elderly Indicate Illness When an elderly person feels off balance or falls for no apparent reason, don't just chalk it up to age. "It's not normal to be off balance even when you're elderly," said Helen Cohen, Ed.D., Professor of Otolaryngology at BCM. There may be something physically wrong, and a doctor should be consulted, she advised. Loss of balance could be caused by a number of different issues, among them heart problems or neuro-logical and inner ear disorders. Conditions that cause imbalance in the elderly are treatable, but if left untreated, some conditions that cause dizziness could become life threatening. One kind of balance disorder seen in older adults is called disequilibrium of age. While age is a factor, wear and tear on joints, muscles and inner ear mechanisms cause the balance issues. "Disequilibrium of age can be treated with different exercises to help a person regain balance," Cohen said. "If it is just brushed off as age, it will only get worse and could potentially cause a dangerous fall. It could cause loss of independence." Once balance issues have been diagnosed and treated, it's important to address external issues that could contribute to falls. Cohen suggests removing clutter in the home, adding non-slip strips to throw rugs, rearranging furniture to create clear walkways, and adding grab bars near the tub or railings along hallways.		Search all issues: Features Treatments on the Horizon: Chapter and Verse on a Brain Killer Keeping Teen Dads Involved Fellow Travelers: The Human Microbiome Project Explores how our Bodies Co-exist with 1 Trillion Foreign Cells Two Brains are Better than One Spotlight Science as a Way of Life DeBakey Takes the Gold Caring for Community at Home and Abroad Injecting a Little Scientist in Every Doctor Designing a Building in the Eyes of a Researcher Laser Treatments Best Left up to Doctors Briefs Falls in Elderly Indicate Illness Gut-wrenching Facts on Colic Findings may Increase Survival after Injuries Some Like it Hot! Structure of Receptor for Chili Pepper and Pain Revealed Beware of Drinking Margaritas in the Sun Beetle-Mania Development/Alumni BCM Family Participates in Fundraising Campaign BCM Alums take D.C. Fellowships Seed Funding Leads to Breakthroughs Father, Daughter Team up for Health Care Steps to Discovery and Innovation

	Volume 4, Issue 2, Summer 2008



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Last modified: October 7, 2008