YOUR HANDS AS YOU AGED

YOUR HANDS AS YOU AGED

Give Your Hands a Hand
You use your hands to do so many things:
tie your shoes, open jars, drive, and use
your phone, to name just a few. It’s hard to
do much of anything without them, but as
you get older, they can get weaker and
less flexible. Some hand problems can
even be signs of certain health conditions.
Know what to look out for so you keep
them in good shape.

Grip Strength
You can lose this naturally as you age,
especially after 65, and that can make it
harder to do everyday tasks. If your grip
gets weaker over time, it’s probably caused
by brittle bones, arthritis, or muscle loss. If
it happens suddenly, it might be a sign of a
more serious problem, like diabetes, heart
disease, or high blood pressure.

Grip Strength: Treatment
An occupational or physical therapist can
test the strength in your hands and help you
regain or keep it. You also can do many
exercises at home. For example, you might
squeeze something like a tennis ball as hard
as you can for 3 to 5 seconds, then rest
briefly -- do that 10 times with each hand.
Start with once a day or once every other
day, depending on how your hands feel.

Tremors
Your hands can shake for many reasons at
any age, but it’s more common after 50.
Some medicines -- like mood stabilizers and
drugs that treat seizures or migraines -- can
cause it or make it worse. Anxiety, stress, low
blood sugar, being tired, or having too much
caffeine can, too. An “active” tremor happens
when you try to use your hands. A “passive”
tremor happens when your hands are at rest

Tremors: Treatment
While it may bother you, an active tremor is
usually harmless. Changes in diet and
lifestyle can help -- drinking less caffeine,
for example. But a passive tremor can be a
sign of a serious problem, including a tumor
or a brain disease, such as Parkinson’s.
See your doctor right away if you have
these kinds of tremors.

Arthritis
This inflames your joints, and it’s especially
common in places where you’ve had
breaks, sprains, or fractures, even if they
were treated. You’re more likely to get it as
you age, and over time, it can lead to pain,
swelling, and loss of movement.

Arthritis: Treatment
Your doctor will talk with you about how
active you’d like to be, and how the pain and
lack of flexibility affect your daily life. He
might recommend anti-inflammatories or give
you a steroid shot that can ease pain and
swelling for weeks or possibly months. In
some cases, splints that protect your joints
and keep you from overusing them can help.
But wearing them too long can lead to muscle
loss.

Your Skin
We’ve all seen the “liver spots” -- or "age
spots" -- that can show up after years in the
sun. As your skin ages and wrinkles, it’s
harder to keep moisture in, and that can
lead to dry, itchy skin. Veins become more
obvious with age because you lose soft
tissue. This is especially true in your hands.

Your Skin: Treatment
Protect your hands against the sun’s rays
with broad-spectrum sunscreen rated 30
SPF or higher. Wear cotton-lined gloves
when you garden or clean, and choose a
mild soap or cleanser that doesn’t strip your
hands of their natural oils. Moisturizers and
a healthy diet with plenty of vitamins,
antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids also
can help keep your skin and nails healthy.

Skin Cancer
Over the years, the tops of your hands get
lots of sun, which is a leading cause of this
disease. A fair complexion, problems with
your immune system, certain kinds of
moles, and a family history of skin cancer
can also raise your chances of having it.

Skin Cancer: Diagnosis and Treatment
A dermatologist (a doctor who specializes
in skin care) can check any unusual spots
and teach you what to look for. If she finds
skin cancer, you’ll need surgery to take out
the cancer cells. You also may have
radiation or chemotherapy to kill any that
are left to keep them from spreading.

Bruising
When it’s on the back of your hands and arms,
doctors call it “purpura.” A light knock can cause
it, and it’s more common on thin, wrinkled, or
sun-damaged older skin. You’re also more likely
to bruise if you take drugs like aspirin or other
blood thinners, or drink alcohol often. It starts as
blotches of red that turn purple, then darken and
fade. It doesn’t usually hurt, but it can last
longer than a normal bruise, often a few weeks.

Bruising: Treatment
Protect your hands and arms when you
think they’re in the line of fire: Special
sleeves can help with this, or your doctor
might suggest a cream or lotion to keep
your skin from bruising or help make your
skin thicker. If you take blood thinners and
think they’re causing the bruises, talk with
him about possibly changing your
medication or the amount you take.

Dupuytren's Contracture
This is when the tissue just under the skin of
your hand gets unusually thick. It can cause
your fingers -- most often the ring and pinky
fingers -- to bend into your palm. You may
get lumps or thick cords (like string) in your
palm as well. It sometimes affects the top of
your knuckles or the soles of your feet, too.
Doctors aren’t sure what causes it, but it
happens more often in men over 40,

Dupuytren's Contracture: Treatment
For many people, a mild case doesn’t cause
major problems or pain, and it may not get
worse, so your doctor might take a waitand-
see approach. If it is causing problems,
she may suggest a type of stimulation with
needles, shots, or possibly surgery to give
you more movement in your hands.
Treatment doesn’t always fix it completely,
though, and it sometimes comes back.

Thank You