年輕人也可能患有這些老年健康問題大綱

Arthritis

關節炎

It's a common misconception that arthritis is an old person's disease. While osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear, and therefore most common among those over 65, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can be diagnosed at any time.

人們經常誤認爲關節炎是一種老年病。雖然骨關節炎是由軟骨組織磨損造成的，因此在65歲以上的人羣中最爲常見，但類風溼性關節炎卻是一種任何年齡段人羣都可能患上的自身免疫性疾病。

Similarly juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the inflammation of the joints that starts before the age of 16. "The triggers are unknown but something causes the immune system to recognise joint tissues as foreign and attack them," explains Dr Sarah Brewer, medical director for the website Healthspan.

同樣，幼年特發性關節炎指的是16歲之前的關節炎症。"誘因尚未可知，但有些原因導致免疫系統將關節組織視作外來組織，並對其進行攻擊，"Healthspan網站的醫療主管Sarah Brewer博士說道。

■ What to do: If you experience painful, swollen or stiff joints , see your GP. You may also notice increased tiredness, reoccurring fever, a rash and/or inflamed eyes.

■怎麼做：如果您關節疼痛、腫脹或僵硬，請儘快聯繫全科醫生。也許您還有這些症狀：越來越疲憊、反覆發燒、皮疹或眼睛發炎。

"Keep as active as possible to maintain joint mobility," adds Dr Brewer. "And eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, fish, nuts, beans and spices such as turmeric, which may help to ease the inflammation you are suffering."

"儘可能地多做些運動、保持關節活絡，"Brewer博士補充說。"多吃水果、蔬菜、魚、堅果、豆類以及薑黃等香料，有助於緩解炎症。"

High blood pressure

高血壓

It's true that the risk of high blood pressure, or hypertension, increases as you get older but it can develop at any age, even in childhood. In fact, one in 10 women in their 20s are currently affected, putting them at an increased risk of health problems such as strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease. "This number is growing due to the rising obesity numbers," says Dr Brewer.

的確，隨着年齡的增長，人們患高血壓的機率也會有所增加，但任一年齡段的人羣都有可能患高血壓，即使是小朋友。事實上，20幾歲的小姑娘中，10%的人都受高血壓的影響，而她們患中風、心臟病發作和腎臟疾病等健康問題的風險也隨之增加。"由於肥胖人數越來越多，受高血壓影響的人數也在增多，"Brewer博士說道。

"Obese children are three times more likely to develop hypertension than those with a healthy weight."

"肥胖兒童患高血壓的可能性是體重正常兒童的三倍。"

■ What to do: Lifestyle changes can make a huge difference to your blood pressure so anyone worried should try to eat healthily, exercise more and cut back on alcohol and salt. See your GP who can check for any underlying causes, for example kidney disease, and prescribe medication if necessary.

■怎麼做：生活方式的改變會在很大程度上改變血壓，所以心存憂慮者可嘗試健康飲食、多鍛鍊、減少酒精和鹽分的攝入。去看看全科醫生，他/她能檢查出潛在病因，比如腎臟疾病。如若必要，醫生還會給您開藥。