Health care and the middle aged
June 4, 2020 10:53 AM Subscribe
Middle-aged people: how do you know which body symptoms are the aches & pains of aging and which are signs of something more serious that a doctor should investigate?
I mean, there is no way to know. That's why cancer is often caught so late, along with other serious ailments. Also, suspecting something is really wrong still doesn't mean the doctor will take it seriously, or that your insurance will approve various scans and tests. From what I've seen in my various circles over the years, it mostly comes down to luck and privilege (racial/gender/economic).
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 11:17 AM on June 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 11:17 AM on June 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
That isn’t the most useful division of symptoms - I want to know which are the pains I can do something to fix, which I can ignore without causing further damage, and which are unfixable sentinels of something that could get worse. Mostly I have to ask.
I keep a little notebook of symptoms and what I did about them, which is useful both to flip through and see how many scary things just went away and also which things are getting worse.
posted by clew at 11:19 AM on June 4, 2020 [2 favorites]
I keep a little notebook of symptoms and what I did about them, which is useful both to flip through and see how many scary things just went away and also which things are getting worse.
posted by clew at 11:19 AM on June 4, 2020 [2 favorites]
In general, annual checkups are useless. Do not go for an annual checkup.
Rather, seek medical counsel and advice when you have concerns or questions, like the one you have. "Hey, I have some aches and pains and I don't even know how to determine when they merit attention." is a valid question. Your health professional should be able to not only determine whether they need to investigate those issues, but should also provide guidance on when to come back - and when not to come back.
I had a skin growth; the doc told me it was nothing to worry about, and now not only do I know to ignore that growth, I know not to come back if the same type of growth occurs elsewhere.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:31 AM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
Rather, seek medical counsel and advice when you have concerns or questions, like the one you have. "Hey, I have some aches and pains and I don't even know how to determine when they merit attention." is a valid question. Your health professional should be able to not only determine whether they need to investigate those issues, but should also provide guidance on when to come back - and when not to come back.
I had a skin growth; the doc told me it was nothing to worry about, and now not only do I know to ignore that growth, I know not to come back if the same type of growth occurs elsewhere.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:31 AM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
If one shoulder/foot/kidney hurts, does the other one, too?
Does it go away with heat/cold/massage/time?
Does it correlate with exertion/lack-of-exertion/trauma?
Are you still playing sports at your age?
Do you get exercise, or are you lazy like me?
How's your posture? If it's bad, that can mess up lots of stuff.
posted by wenestvedt at 11:32 AM on June 4, 2020
Does it go away with heat/cold/massage/time?
Does it correlate with exertion/lack-of-exertion/trauma?
Are you still playing sports at your age?
Do you get exercise, or are you lazy like me?
How's your posture? If it's bad, that can mess up lots of stuff.
posted by wenestvedt at 11:32 AM on June 4, 2020
When you say the aches and pains of aging, I'm assuming you are talking about joints and the skeleton.
As far as joint or musculoskeletal pain -- Only a doctor can say if it's arthritis, a strain, or something more serious -- like a rotator cuff or meniscus tear. I would seek medical attention if the pain is getting worse or affecting your daily life. Does the pain go away with rest? Does it go away if you lose weight? Is it only a twinge, or do you have trouble walking or doing activities? Twinges and full on debilitating pain can both be arthritis. One is mild and the other is severe. Sometimes you can chalk things up to wear and tear and be correct. The only way to know for sure is to see a doctor.
posted by loveandhappiness at 11:32 AM on June 4, 2020
As far as joint or musculoskeletal pain -- Only a doctor can say if it's arthritis, a strain, or something more serious -- like a rotator cuff or meniscus tear. I would seek medical attention if the pain is getting worse or affecting your daily life. Does the pain go away with rest? Does it go away if you lose weight? Is it only a twinge, or do you have trouble walking or doing activities? Twinges and full on debilitating pain can both be arthritis. One is mild and the other is severe. Sometimes you can chalk things up to wear and tear and be correct. The only way to know for sure is to see a doctor.
posted by loveandhappiness at 11:32 AM on June 4, 2020
If it hurts or feels weird for more than a day or two, and there's no obvious cause, I will note it as something to monitor. If it persists for months without improving, or worsens gradually over weeks, then it's something to mention to a doctor. Adjust timing by symptom severity/quality of life impairment.
The above works no matter what age you are.
posted by seanmpuckett at 12:06 PM on June 4, 2020
The above works no matter what age you are.
posted by seanmpuckett at 12:06 PM on June 4, 2020
Medline Plus is the online reference library for the National Library of Medicine, with a searchable index. A dedicated search will provide you with a basic overview of the medical issue, some basic anatomy information, symptoms, and when to seek treatment, and questions to ask a medical professional. Attached to the search is an index of medical associations and clinical studies. Medline Plus is not commercially affiliated with any corporations. It's a very useful guide for reliable, scientifically based information, including common medical conditions related to aging. I hope this is helpful.
posted by effluvia at 12:09 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by effluvia at 12:09 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
Even doctors dismiss things that turn out to be important (shout out to the four different doctors who misdiagnosed the various symptoms of my cancer - I am very lucky I didn't die before number five ordered a very basic blood test and called that night to send me to the ER). So it's really unlikely that you'll be able to tell yourself whether something necessitates talking to a doctor or not.
Personally, I give things a few days to see if they go away by themselves. If they don't, I call my doctor's office and ask. That's why it's a good idea to have a relationship with a doctor. I think one factor that might have contributed to my repeated misdiagnoses is that, due to various doctors moving, I saw a series of doctors at a clinic. There was no one doctor who really knew me.
posted by FencingGal at 12:10 PM on June 4, 2020 [5 favorites]
Personally, I give things a few days to see if they go away by themselves. If they don't, I call my doctor's office and ask. That's why it's a good idea to have a relationship with a doctor. I think one factor that might have contributed to my repeated misdiagnoses is that, due to various doctors moving, I saw a series of doctors at a clinic. There was no one doctor who really knew me.
posted by FencingGal at 12:10 PM on June 4, 2020 [5 favorites]
Get an annual checkup if it’s inexpensively available to do so. Having an official record of blood pressure, bloodwork, etc is valuable, as is having a regular relationships with a doctor and their office. I strongly disagree with the advice given above that they are useless.
For me (47/f) I give joint and muscle pain a month to go away. But if it gets worse in two weeks I make an appointment. I give a cold/cough/virus 2 weeks to markedly improve. Digestive issues (other than my existing ones that the doc knows about - another good reason for annuals) get a week to go away.
posted by kimberussell at 12:16 PM on June 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
For me (47/f) I give joint and muscle pain a month to go away. But if it gets worse in two weeks I make an appointment. I give a cold/cough/virus 2 weeks to markedly improve. Digestive issues (other than my existing ones that the doc knows about - another good reason for annuals) get a week to go away.
posted by kimberussell at 12:16 PM on June 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
I'm on the far side of middle-aged, but one thing I learned is that as you get older your tolerance for things being amiss should grow shorter, not longer. A cold or the flu allowed to run its course can turn into pneumonia pretty easily. (Ask me, and the rib that cracked from my coughing, how I know.) For other things, as well, your window of time to correct a problem shrinks with age so that something restricting your range of motion is more likely to become permanent if not addressed relatively quickly.
posted by DrGail at 12:26 PM on June 4, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by DrGail at 12:26 PM on June 4, 2020 [5 favorites]
Annual check ups are useful for establishing base lines exactly for the reason you ask, so you know when something is going wrong or changing as they have something to compare it to, it's the changes they catch & can head off that are important not the big discoveries. What these sessions are is the perfect time time for to to talk to the doctor about those little things that are non urgent but you are worried if they are a "thing" or not.
posted by wwax at 1:07 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by wwax at 1:07 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
Give it three days. If it's not getting better, schedule an appointment.
A more interesting question is who to schedule the appointment with. Life is much easier if you choose the right specialist.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 1:08 PM on June 4, 2020
A more interesting question is who to schedule the appointment with. Life is much easier if you choose the right specialist.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 1:08 PM on June 4, 2020
I don't know. IMO it's mostly better to do something earlier than later. I had a skin growth removed last week, mainly for cosmetic reasons, and I'm surprised at how much my quality of life has improved. Most people hadn't even noticed it, so it wasn't so much for cosmetic reasons, I'm going to have to live with a huge band-aid on my cheek for the next year and not go out without a hat. But the thing must have been touching a nerve or something, because the moment it was gone, I felt a lot better.
I was into active sports when I was young, so I have some problem areas: an ankle, a knee, a shoulder. Recent research recommends walking as therapy, and I'm getting into that with some success. Actually, I feel the knee is almost healed. I'm working on my weight because I'm having elective surgery later this year because of cancer risk, and while it is sometimes a struggle, I'm pleased to discover that one can still change through work.
posted by mumimor at 1:54 PM on June 4, 2020
I was into active sports when I was young, so I have some problem areas: an ankle, a knee, a shoulder. Recent research recommends walking as therapy, and I'm getting into that with some success. Actually, I feel the knee is almost healed. I'm working on my weight because I'm having elective surgery later this year because of cancer risk, and while it is sometimes a struggle, I'm pleased to discover that one can still change through work.
posted by mumimor at 1:54 PM on June 4, 2020
If you suspect it might be your rotator cuff, don’t wait 15 months to get it checked out hoping it will get better :(
posted by HotToddy at 1:55 PM on June 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by HotToddy at 1:55 PM on June 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
I'm not sure I'm middle-aged but I know that my body isn't working as well as it did when I was younger. Here are some things that I've done, or really wanted others to do:
1. Keep track of when it began, and if it's getting better or worse. Your body is still capable of healing itself, it's just slower. But if you never log when the issue started, or if it's the same severity or not, eventually you will just accept the problem permanently. Far too often I've heard "it's only been a few days" for months, and that's when it's "no longer a problem".
2. Have some idea of what caused the problem, and some idea of how to fix it. Maybe you've been sitting on a chair that's too low, or maybe you've been wearing the same pair of shoes for so long that it makes your back hurt. But you should try to guess the source of the problem and some way of resolving that problem. If you have no idea why something hurts all of a sudden, that makes it more serious. You can't address it by yourself.
3. Have some basic knowledge of biology. Muscle pain should resolve itself faster than joint pain, which will resolve faster than bone injuries. But if something is wrong with your organs, or worse your nervous system, those are "go to a doctor now" symptoms.
4. Have realistic standards. It is unlikely that a 60-year-old can maintain the same level of fitness as a 20-year-old. But at the same time, a 60-year-old should probably be able to walk up a flight of stairs without assistance, or see things in dim light. People don't like talking about their weaknesses to their peers, but that can lead to very invalid ideas of what "getting old" entails.
posted by meowzilla at 11:38 AM on June 5, 2020
1. Keep track of when it began, and if it's getting better or worse. Your body is still capable of healing itself, it's just slower. But if you never log when the issue started, or if it's the same severity or not, eventually you will just accept the problem permanently. Far too often I've heard "it's only been a few days" for months, and that's when it's "no longer a problem".
2. Have some idea of what caused the problem, and some idea of how to fix it. Maybe you've been sitting on a chair that's too low, or maybe you've been wearing the same pair of shoes for so long that it makes your back hurt. But you should try to guess the source of the problem and some way of resolving that problem. If you have no idea why something hurts all of a sudden, that makes it more serious. You can't address it by yourself.
3. Have some basic knowledge of biology. Muscle pain should resolve itself faster than joint pain, which will resolve faster than bone injuries. But if something is wrong with your organs, or worse your nervous system, those are "go to a doctor now" symptoms.
4. Have realistic standards. It is unlikely that a 60-year-old can maintain the same level of fitness as a 20-year-old. But at the same time, a 60-year-old should probably be able to walk up a flight of stairs without assistance, or see things in dim light. People don't like talking about their weaknesses to their peers, but that can lead to very invalid ideas of what "getting old" entails.
posted by meowzilla at 11:38 AM on June 5, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by spilon at 11:07 AM on June 4, 2020 [4 favorites]