Old as a kid: zoomers complain of lower back and baldness
Zoomers have become more likely to complain about health problems typical of older people. The main problems include lower back pain, spinal deformity and early baldness. The factors that trigger the countdown for diagnoses include, in particular, an unhealthy lifestyle and the habit of "sitting" on a smartphone for hours. Whether diseases really "get younger" and how not to become an old man ahead of time is in the Izvestia article.
Why diseases have become "younger": diagnoses and anamnesis
Denis Prokofiev, a general practitioner, cardiologist, and holder of the status of "Moscow Doctor", does not consider it entirely correct to categorically state that diseases are "getting younger": the appearance of serious diagnoses in the epicrisis of girls and boys depends on various reasons.
— Indeed, some factors lead to the development of diseases at a young age. But at the same time, great strides have been made in the development of diagnostics in medicine. Today, in the early stages, diseases are detected that previously made themselves felt mainly in the form of symptoms in older people," explains Prokofiev.
The cardiologist refers to such diseases, in particular, atherosclerosis, prediabetic condition, early joint damage.
— Therefore, although the "rejuvenation" of diseases does occur, but not the least reason for this is the early detection and diagnosis of diseases at the earliest stages, — the expert summarizes.
What factors directly lead to the fact that serious illnesses are detected in young people? The general practitioner emphasizes that, first of all, it is a lack of physical activity, the use of ready meals, which contain large amounts of sugar and salt, as well as a lack of vitamins and minerals that have a direct effect on the musculoskeletal system. Stress is also important, as a result of which the level of the hormone cortisol increases. And Dr. Prokofiev considers the uncontrolled use of a large number of medications at any age to be one of the key factors.
— The pharmaceutical market is much more developed today than it was 30-40 years ago. Virtually every patient admits to using antibacterial, immunomodulatory, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as self-medication, which should not be taken without consulting a specialist. And these are not the most dangerous groups yet," the cardiologist warns.
According to Prokofiev, self-medication and the purchase of medicines without a doctor's prescription leads to irreparable consequences, which people themselves cripple the body at a young age.
— As an example: a person is trying to cope with cephalgia (headache) or pain in the musculoskeletal system with the help of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. And thus it earns damage to the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract," says Prokofiev.
"Widow's Hump" and turtle neck
Vitaliy Skakun, an orthopedic traumatologist at the Be Healthy clinic on Sretenka, a doctor of the highest category, confirms that in the last 10-15 years, patients aged 25-35 have actually come to orthopedists with complaints that used to be typical for people over 50.
— The reasons are very clear: a sedentary lifestyle and long-term static work. Young people spend a lot of time on a laptop, walk little, and rarely change their body position. All this leads to the joints working "idly," says Vitaly Skakun. As a result, the production of synovial fluid decreases, the nutrition of the cartilage deteriorates, and the muscles lose strength. Therefore, joints age faster and react with pain even to normal stress.
From time to time, zoomers try to fix the situation with trendy runs and trips to the gym. But the body, accustomed to physical inactivity, is not ready for sudden runs, intense workouts, jumps and cardio loads, the orthopedic traumatologist warns. Sudden "feats" after sedentary days lead to negative consequences.
— Weak muscles plus unprepared ligaments cause microtrauma, and with them — inflammation and accelerated degradation of cartilage. Weight gain only makes the problems worse. Even an extra 5-7 kg significantly increases the load on the knees and lower back," the expert emphasizes.
Chronic stress and lack of sleep, in turn, worsen the recovery of the body and provoke chronic changes in tissues.
The "widow's hump" and "turtle neck" characteristic of the elderly are now also found in the young. The orthopedic traumatologist emphasizes the direct connection of these unpleasant signs with the fact that boys and girls spend 3-6 hours a day with their heads tilted to the gadget screen.
— At this moment, the load on the cervical region increases significantly: when the head is tilted by 30 degrees, about 18 kg of load on the neck, and when tilted by 60 degrees, it is already 27 kg, — says Vitaly Skakun. — Muscles and ligaments cannot withstand constant overexertion, a persistent stoop is formed, a bulge in the lower part of the neck is the same hump that used to occur in people much older.
Orthopedic traumatologist warns: For young people, these negative changes occur faster, because the habit is formed early, and the number of working hours spent on gadgets is simply huge.
— The most common complaints of young people are unpleasant sensations in the lower back after a working day, heaviness in the neck and shoulder girdle, clicks in the knees under load, decreased mobility after prolonged sitting, — continues Skakun. — Young patients often have early patellar chondromalacia, functional disorders of the spine, weakness of deep muscles, the effect of flat feet on the joints of the lower extremities, pelvis and spine.
Vitaly Skakun advises patients with such problems to adhere to basic prevention, which has proven to be very effective.:
— move for at least two to three minutes every hour;
— strengthen the muscles of the buttocks and the cortex, a complex of muscles located in the central part of the trunk and involved in almost any movement;
— keep your smartphone at eye level;
— train regularly, without sudden starts;
— control body weight.
These simple measures significantly reduce the risk of early wear of the joints and spine, even with the office rhythm of life, the expert summarizes.
— Unfortunately, we have practically lost the most important area, which was related to occupational safety. Not everyone takes care of employees in this regard. And occupational safety is not only an event aimed at preventing occupational injuries, but also clear requirements for the amount of light, the distance from the computer, the distance to the table, the right chair in particular and the workplace in general, explains Dr. Prokofiev.
The specifics of occupational safety and health relate to the "occupational pathology" section, the general practitioner emphasizes. Occupational hygiene is at the heart of the correctness of performing a particular job, including with a sedentary lifestyle. This applies to schools, institutes, and offices. If you do not take into account possible risk factors, they can cause irreparable harm. Curvature of the spine is only a small part of the possible problems, Prokofiev notes. And there are also problems with the organs of vision, hearing and vestibular apparatus.
Even emotional experiences become younger: people begin to become disillusioned with themselves long before middle age begins with its traditional crisis.
— Now is the time when many employees work remotely from home. On the one hand, this is a plus for a person, and on the other hand, it reduces his socialization. People are actually left alone with their problems.: both working and personal. And often they pay attention to the development of the stress factor, when the syndrome of increased fatigue and symptoms of general weakness are already manifested," comments Dr. Prokofiev.
In such a situation, you should seek qualified medical help, rather than trying to get rid of anxiety and fatigue by taking medications on your own initiative that may adversely affect your health.
How to push back old age
In order not to become an old man at an early age, Dr. Prokofiev, for his part, advises reducing the risk factors that trigger the development of diseases. All modern medicine stands in this position.
— Such factors include overweight, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, high blood pressure, elevated sugar and cholesterol levels. Smoking and alcohol, of course, also undermine health. By minimizing these risks, we significantly reduce the likelihood of developing diseases," the expert concludes.
Unfortunately, at least four of the listed factors (poor nutrition, physical inactivity, overweight and smoking) they are already characteristic of many representatives of the younger generation. Denis Prokofiev acknowledges the sad statistics.
The general practitioner advises parents to follow the basic rules of a healthy life.:
— balanced nutrition;
— regular physical activity;
— weight control of a child or teenager;
— preventive work on giving up bad habits;
— reducing the consumption of energy drinks, including caffeinated ones;
— annual timely medical examinations in order to identify any pathologies and treat diseases at an early stage;
— getting used to the rules of workplace hygiene and occupational hygiene: monitor the distance to the computer, choose the right desk, monitor the full lighting.
Why do young people go bald
Anna Matveeva, a trichologist at the Scandinavian Health Center, explained to Izvestia that young people were indeed more likely to complain of baldness. Moreover, the type of alopecia has not changed — we are talking about androgenetic, "male" baldness (an inherited type associated with sensitivity to male hormones). And the age of the first appeals has shifted by almost 10 years. Previously, the main patients of trichologists were men over 30 years old, but today the typical age of applications is 22-28 years.
— There are also 19-year-olds. We attribute this to lifestyle and the fact that modern young people are more attentive to their appearance: they notice changes earlier and turn to specialists," says Anna Matveeva.
The doctor calls heredity a key factor in baldness. But other reasons also play a role.
"Chronic stress, night work, unstable routines, and lack of sleep lead to hormonal fluctuations and can trigger telogen loss (a condition where many follicles simultaneously enter the shedding phase)," says Anna Matveeva.
According to the expert, the early formation of a balding zone is often combined with physical health: with an increased body mass index, high blood pressure, lipid metabolism disorders, metabolic syndrome (a complex of metabolic disorders associated with excess weight), deficiencies of iron, vitamin D and other trace elements.
When complaining of hair loss or thinning, the trichologist usually clarifies the type of alopecia and the factors that enhance the process. Necessary examinations are prescribed, for example, a general blood test, ferritin, vitamin D and glucose levels. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which regulates the functioning of the thyroid gland, as well as lipid metabolism, is taken under control. Specialists use trichoscopy, an examination of the scalp under magnification. If necessary, take a series of pictures of the hair growth area — the so-called phototrichogram.
Trichologists distinguish between telogen loss and androgenetic alopecia. In the first case, hair loss is associated with stress, infection, a harsh diet or lack of sleep. Sometimes it is enough to improve the regime, adjust nutrition, make up for micronutrient deficiencies and choose careful care. Such loss is usually reversible, Matveeva notes.
Androgenetic alopecia is a chronic condition, so the earlier methods with proven effectiveness are used, the higher the chance of slowing down and partially making the changes reversible. In this case, with a steady decrease in hair diameter and an expansion of the thinning zone, it is already necessary to prescribe medications, vitamins alone and physical activity without drugs is not enough: they only support the general background.
According to the trichologist, the set of genes cannot be changed, but with the help of early diagnosis and timely treatment, it is possible to influence the age at which the hair loss process begins and the rate of its progression.
"A man who knows about family history and comes at the first sign wins years compared to applying at 35-40 years old,— Matveeva warns.
The specialist advises teenagers from at-risk families to monitor their weight and nutrition, sleep at least seven to eight hours, take care of their hair (without constant hot styling and aggressive coloring), do not take medications "for baldness" without a doctor's prescription and do not use questionable means for the growth of curls. It is necessary to run to a trichologist at the first signs of thinning vegetation, which include a widening parting, obvious thinning of hair in the parietal area, greasiness and itching of the scalp.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
