Here’s a frustrating fact about life: the older you get, the higher your odds of developing certain aches and pains and any other diseases that might come along the way. It doesn’t matter that your senior years are supposed to be your best years; in most cases, blowing out the candles on your 55th birthday cake comes with a weird surprise gift: various health problems.

This applies even more to women as their bodies go through menopause. Physical changes and health problems usually emerge during this time. Thankfully, for every single condition on this list, there are plenty of diet changes and exercises that you can try to reduce the risks.

It’s also worth noting that you must inform your doctor if you suspect something different about your overall health. Here are some of the most relevant health issues that might appear in your sixth decade:

Hypertension and coronary artery disease

Like a metronome, your heart was ticking how it was supposed to for the first half-century of your life. However, as you pass from perimenopause to menopause, the estrogen in your body starts to plummet. Why is estrogen so important?

The hormone helps maintain proper HDL and unhealthy LDL cholesterol levels as low as possible. Given these cholesterol changes, blood pressure and artery issues are way more likely to appear throughout your 50s than they were before.

Arthritis

Arthritis is among the most difficult chronic medical conditions among older people. It is known to cause joint pain and inflammation, which can later restrict the proper movement of your body. There are two relevant types of arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

As a general rule, older people suffer from osteoarthritis, and that’s because this disease is generally caused by wear and tear. As we get older, we have to use our joints more. Most seniors suffer from this particular type of arthritis. In comparison, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, and the immune system constantly attacks the lining of joints.

Asthma

You know you have asthma when you start experiencing trouble breathing. Your body’s airways are sensitive to allergens and become more inflamed. This inflammation might cause a painful and frightening asthma attack, which later causes your airway muscles to narrow even more.

This is what happens when you have trouble breathing. The majority of people have no problem managing their asthma in an effective way with the right medication. Even so, asthma, left unchecked, could prove fatal.

Among common symptoms, there’s coughing, which translates in a strange sensation in the chest, and breathlessness. Older people are much more susceptible to asthma. They should constantly look for possible symptoms, especially throughout the winter months. Asthma might worsen during or after an episode of the flu.

Blindness

You’d be surprised by how many seniors lose sight as they age. The main cause of blindness is mainly age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD usually occurs when deposits build up on the macula (a smaller area right at the retina’s center).

It can also be caused by abnormal blood vessels that sometimes develop under the macula. However, various other conditions might cause sight loss, such as glaucoma and diabetes. Generally, diabetic retinopathy is known to damage the retina, leading to loss of sight. The general treatment for sight loss varies, but the three main resources are cataract surgery, eye drops, and laser surgery.

Cancer

You would be shocked to find out that 1 in 2 people might eventually develop cancer. There are over 200 types of cancer, like breast, prostate, and even lung cancer. Cancer is a terrible, awful disease where the cells in our body replicate abnormally to form a mass commonly known as a tumor.

Sometimes, these abnormal cells multiply at a chaotic speed, causing the tumor to grow or the cancerous cells to spread in our bloodstream. Top cancer symptoms include finding an unwelcome lump, unexplained weight loss, blood in the stool or urine, coughing, or vomiting blood. As a general rule, smoking is the number one cause of cancer.

Chronic bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis generally affects the lungs and airways. It’s also under the umbrella of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), which includes some of the most serious lung conditions. In most cases of bronchitis, everything starts with an infection that deeply irritates the bronchi, commonly known as the airways, causing an overproduction of mucus.

The body struggles to shift this excess mucus through a cough. Generally, chronic bronchitis is diagnosed when the coughing persists for several months or even years. Some of the most common symptoms could include a hacking cough, which oftentimes is accompanied by mucus, a sore throat, headaches, a blocked nose, fatigue, and aches and pains in the chest.

Chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease, or CKD, is very common among older people. When it comes to harsh chronic kidney disease, there is usually a wide range of medical conditions that might provoke it, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney inflammation, and even kidney infections.

The sad news is that symptoms in the early stages of chronic kidney disease are awfully rare. In the majority of cases, the condition is found through a blood or urine test for other causes. As the condition advances, you might experience shortness of breath, sickness, blood in the urine, swollen ankles, and tiredness.

Coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease is one of the most dangerous illnesses, especially since it causes death in seniors. This condition appears right after fatty substances start building up in the arteries and block the blood supply to the heart. Coronary heart disease could also be caused by medical conditions such as smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even obesity.

If you think you might be at risk of CHD, your doctor needs to conduct an assessment, which generally includes a treadmill test or other scans. You might also have to respond to some questions about your family history and lifestyle.

Deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis is also known as the medical term for a blood clot stuck in your deep veins, which usually happens in the legs. This ugly and nasty medical condition occurs in people over 40, and it could lead to unfortunate complications, such as pulmonary embolism.

Various factors could increase the risk of DVT. These include obesity, blood vessel damage, and being inactive for too long. You’d also have to check for a family history of blood clots. Besides, smoking might cause serious damage to blood vessels. Stop smoking if you want to lower the risk of deep vein thrombosis and other medical conditions.

Dementia

Dementia is a progressive disorder that generally affects our memory and brain function. It’s common in older people, as it affects 1 in 14 people over 65 years. The most famous form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease.

Vascular dementia is yet another common type of dementia. Generally, it develops as a result of a stroke or blood vessel deterioration. The symptoms of dementia might include difficulty remembering events, carrying out conversations, judging the right distance between things, and forgetting where you are in space and time.

If you’re eager to read other interesting facts about humans, here’s what we recommend reading: Only People With a High IQ Can Do These Things! Can You?