How Are Neuropathies Related to Aging?

Neuropathy is any disorder that damages the peripheral nerves. It is common among older people aged 65 and above and worsens with age.

Damage from neuropathy usually causes pain, numbness, and weakness in the body, mainly in the hands and feet. It can also impair body functions like balance, speech, blood circulation, digestion, and urination.

Nerves are the main communication channels linking the brain and different parts of the body. They are spread out across the body and help all your body parts communicate with each other. Without them, daily activities such as sleeping, waking up, reading, thinking, breathing, and sensing feelings will be difficult.

How Does Aging Affect the Nervous System?

Aging affects how your nerves send or receive messages from your brain and body. As you get older, your brain and spinal cord lose nerve cells. Studies show that you may lose as many as 10,000 nerve cells every day. That said, your body loses all kinds of cells as you age. But the difference is that lost nerve cells do not grow back. So, your body cannot replace nerve cells like other cells.

The result is that your remaining nerve cells may send messages slower than before. Additionally, chemicals and other waste products can mount up in your brain as nerve cells wear away. That can cause tangles, plaque, and fatty tissue to form.

Weakened nerves can impair your senses. Your nerves may be so weak that you cannot get out of a chair, stand from crouching, climb stairs, walk, hold objects, drive, or keep a healthy posture. Changes in your brain's nerve cells can also slow memory and thought processes. 

Neurological Conditions in Older People

Changes in your nerves can cause:

 

• Dementia and acute memory lapses
   

• Alzheimer’s disease
   

• Parkinson’s disease

Talk to your doctor if you experience changes in your ability to think, perform a daily task, or remember things. Seek immediate help if these symptoms occur alongside other symptoms, such as pain, numbness, and muscle weakness.

What Causes Neuropathy in Older People?

Neuropathies arise from damage to the nerves that send impulses to other body cells. The cause could be:

Health Conditions

The most common type of neuropathy is diabetic peripheral neuropathy. It affects people with poorly managed diabetes, who total around 60 percent of Americans with neuropathy. Other health problems that can cause peripheral neuropathy include cancer and HIV/AIDs.

Cancer causes chemotherapy-related neuropathy that affects about 10 percent of Americans with neuropathy. HIV/AIDs account for about two percent of neuropathy cases from the disease or the medicines used to treat it. Sometimes, neuropathy can develop without a known cause. This is a condition called idiopathic neuropathy. These instances make up about 23 percent of neuropathy cases.

Nutrition Risk Factors

Lack of enough nutrients, whether caused by malabsorption, poor eating habits, or alcoholism, can trigger neuropathy. Deficiencies in vitamin B12 and dietary copper can cause neuropathy. Also, ingesting too much of a nutrient can contribute to neuropathy.

For example, studies show that excess vitamin B6 can harm the nerves. Thus, it is essential to consume standard requirements of nutrients to maintain a healthy balance. Similarly, eating seafood like fish that contain mercury can lead to neuropathy.

For more on neuropathies and how they relate to aging, visit Pleasant Life Health Center at our Charleston, South Carolina office. Call (843) 428-7900 to schedule an appointment today.