Deciphering common symptoms

As we get older, we may be plagued by symptoms such as decrease in memory, headaches, palpitations, chest pain and  shortness of breath in exertion. Understanding potential common causes of these symptoms will help us make the right decisions towards keeping healthy.

Frequent morning headaches

While many people may have headaches occasionally or close to the period of their menstrual cycles, some have frequent headaches that are worse in the mornings. A common cause is the lack of oxygen during sleep secondary to the obstruction of the upper airway during sleep. This may be accompanied by other symptoms such as snoring, breathing through the mouth during sleep, dry throat, excessive daytime fatigue and gradual progressive impairment in memory. This condition is termed obstructive sleep apnoea or OSA, and is prevalent in obese individuals and older people who sleep on their backs in a supine posture. Reducing weight, sleeping on the side, treating any nasal allergies or obstruction are measures that can alleviate this condition. For those who continue to have persistent symptoms despite these measures, a sleep test is often done and the patient may be put on a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine at night or have to undergo surgical treatment. 

Memory impairment

While head trauma and stroke are important causes of memory impairment, many people who develop early memory impairment may be relatively healthy and young. Common causes of memory impairment in this cohort include the lack of oxygen during sleep as a result of OSA, having undergone general anaesthesia (GA) and those who have heavy alcohol consumption. Hence, it is not uncommon to hear patients commenting that their memory has deteriorated after undergoing GA. The post-GA memory impairment is gaining attention in many Western countries as it is a recognised side effect of GA. What is important in all these three common causes of memory impairment is that they are all preventable.  You can reduce your risk of memory impairment : 1) Ensure you have no airway obstruction such as snoring or breathing through the mouth; should you have these symptoms, treatment is advised; 2) Prior to undergoing major surgery requiring prolonged GA, a discussion with your surgeon and anaesthetist as to how best to reduce the risk of GA-related memory impairment; 3) Reduction or cessation of alcohol intake may be helpful in those with memory impairment.