Ask Dr. H: What's to blame for a 78-year-old's becoming shorter?

Question:

I'm about an inch and a half shorter than I was in my younger days. Is that normal for a 78-year-old guy like me? I've got chronic low back pain from arthritis. Do you think that caused me to lose so much height?

Answer:

People shrink not only with age, but over the course of a single day. We're at our tallest when we first get out of bed in the morning, decreasing as much as three-fourths of an inch due to effects of gravity on the spine.

Long-term shrinkage begins around age 50, mainly the result of a gradual compression, drying out, or degeneration of the discs that cushion the bones of the spinal column. By age 80, the average loss is 11/2 to 2 inches.

Declining bone density is another big reason for age-related shrinkage. Osteoporosis (and osteopenia) can increase risk of compression fractures that further diminish height. Since women's bones are generally less dense than men's, bone density studies are important for all women over 50 to assess and monitor bone loss. Men should ask a doctor if they have past or present risk factors that warrant a bone density study.

Other factors that can cause height loss with age: changes in posture caused by scoliosis or kyphosis; herniated or bulging discs; degenerative disease of the lumbar spine; flattening of the arches; and increased curvature of the hips and knees.

Q:

In a recent column, you advised us to keep our noses moist during the dry months of winter to avoid colds. In the closing paragraph, you suggested to "never put Vaseline inside the nose." In an attempt to keep the nostrils moist, I use Vaseline. Can you explain why you recommend against it?

A:

Using Vaseline petroleum jelly in the nose is a popular way to form a protective barrier that keeps the nose moist. Used for extended periods over the years, however, it can cause two problems:

Fat-based petroleum jelly can be inhaled into the lungs, causing inflammation, scarring and permanent lung dysfunction. This lung damage often is not recognized until it has caused a good deal of permanent harm. There's even a rare form of "lipoid pneumonia" caused by chronic inhaling of petroleum jelly placed in the nose. In babies and young children, petroleum jelly can potentially obstruct breathing through the nose.

Petroleum jelly coats and renders useless the tiny hairs in the nose and upper airway (cilia) whose job is to trap foreign material before it enters the airway. The makers of Vaseline state clearly that their product is for external use only.

While a thin coating of Vaseline jelly in the nose for short periods of time probably isn't going to do you any harm, why not go with a safer alternative? I'd recommend that you try liberal use of a saline nasal spray or a non-medicated water-based lubricant like Rhinaris. And home humidifiers are a must during the dry months of winter.