Panchkula, January 30: “With rise in
average age that pushed population of elderly people upward, the problems of
ill health, loneliness and lack of support are also on increase among aging
people. What has been noted in this group is that trivial injury also causes
mortality and morbidity.”
Dr. Gauri Joshi, Sr Consultant,Neurosurgery stated this while addressing
a health talk at Alchemist Hospital today.
She said further that apart from limb and
spinal fractures, head trauma is one of the common injuries due to falls.
Unlike the high impact or collision road side accidents which occur in all the
age groups, especially the young, head injury and its consequences occur in the
old due to trivial falls.
Talking about
causes of injuries Dr Joshi said that fall in washroom is common among ageing
people. Due to frequent getting up in the night for urination, the chances of
fall especially in the dark increases. Many of these patients are on
medications for blood pressure, diabetes and heart ailments. Due to sudden
rising from the bed, some may develop giddiness and fall. Sometimes these
patients have decreased sensations in feet and neuropathy which increases the
chance of head injury. Sometimes due to imbalance, some patients bang their
head against a wall or a door.
They
can also sustain injuries while riding two wheeler or pillion rider besides
other regular causes of road side accidents and assault.
In head injury , apart from the common
symptoms of headache, vomiting, injury marks, there can be other subtle
symptoms like forgetfulness, memory loss, confusion and imbalance while
walking. Consultation with a doctor needs to be done along with a CT scan if
required.
One of the commonest consequences of head
trauma in the elderly is the development of chronic subdural hematoma. Reason:
As age progresses, there is shrinkage of brain. The surface veins from the
brain surface to the dural covering of the brain get taut and thin. They
rupture following a trauma and a subdural hematoma develops. This is further
accelerated by the fact that many of these patients are on blood thinners.
This typically develops two to four weeks
later. This develops as a big clot on one or both sides of the brain. Patient
may develop headache, vomiting, limb weakness two to three weeks later. CT scan
or an MRI of the brain is done to diagnose this. Fantastic results are obtained
after a minor surgery on these patients.
Talking about prevention and precautions
she said that it is very important for the elderly to take a stock of their
present situation. Just because they were doing things in their earlier age,
there is no guarantee that they can do things with the same efficiency.
Use of two wheelers should be restricted in
the late seventies and eighties. Washrooms should be absolutely dry. The
flooring should be of even surfaces. Need to be careful in wet slippery areas.
Need to be regular with the medications and medical checkups. Also be aware
with the side effects. After a fall, need to consult a doctor, as blood
thinners drugs can be modified. There should be a dim light in the room, in
case of night visit for urination. They need to be advised regarding use of
proper footwear, which again will be helpful in patients with diabetes. The
care givers should be instructed and educated regarding the potential risks and
symptoms. Need for regular exercises, socializing cannot be over emphasized.
Care should be taken while performing pranayama, where problems are seen after
forced and prolong breathing.
However trivial the injury may seem, it is
prudent to take medical help. It’s better to avoid some of the major
complications rather than treat them.
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