A sneaky problem: inner ear dysfunction

According to the current, August issue fo the University of California, Berkeley Willness Letter

“About one-third of Americans over 40 have an inner ear dysfunction that can throw them off balance and greatly increase the risk of falling, according to a study by Johns Hopkins University researchers, who tested more than 5,000 people. The risk increases with age: for instance, those in their seventies are four times more likely to be affected than those in their fifties, and 85% of people over 80 have such a balance problem. Diabetes, which can damage the inner ear, increases the risk by 70%.

If you are over 60, ask your doctor to check your sense of balance, and if it is impaired, take steps to prevent falls at home.”

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