Neck pain in older adults: arthritis, a trapped nerve, spinal cord pressure, a fall, and what helps

Common in later life, but not steadily rising with ageMixed evidence

Neck pain affected about 203 million people worldwide in 2020, more often women, and in modelled global estimates it was most common between the ages of 50 and 74. Surveys of people over 60 tell a slightly different story. A review of 12 population studies found no significant rise from middle age into the sixties; most found none later in life (2 reported a rise), and several found a fall in the oldest group (significantly in 3). In 4,486 Danish twins aged 70 to 102, 11% had neck pain alone and 11% neck and back pain together in the past month (about 1 in 5 in all, our sum), varying little between age groups. In 7,878 people aged 50 and over in North Staffordshire, most kinds of pain were less common in the older age groups, and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) says neck pain becomes less common as we grow older, while the changes seen on scans become more common.

What does rise is pain that gets in the way. "The prevalence of spinal pain with disability continues to rise into old age," concluded a UK survey mailed to 5,752 adults, in which 89% of people with neck pain also had pain elsewhere. In North Staffordshire, pain that interfered with daily activities became more common with age, up to the oldest group. In the Danish twins, neck and back pain came and went (63% of those in all four surveys had no episode or only one), and went with poorer self-rated health and physical function. That is a reason to treat it, not to accept it as part of getting older.

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Most of it is ordinary neck pain, and the neck's age-related changes are normalStrong evidence

Cervical spondylosis is the medical term for age-related changes in the neck's discs and joints, also known as neck osteoarthritis (NHS inform). It is common from 40, and when it causes symptoms they are neck and shoulder pain or stiffness that comes and goes, and headaches that often start at the back of the neck. The NHS calls it "a normal part of ageing" that many people have without any symptoms, and Arthritis UK describes the changes as the body naturally adapting to everyday use over many years.

Scans of people without symptoms show how normal the changes are. By 60 to 65, 95% of men and 70% of women had at least one such change on an X-ray (200 volunteers aged 20 to 65); 87.6% of 1,211 volunteers aged 20 to 70 had bulging discs on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, with the spinal cord pressed on in 5.3%; and in 497 volunteers, 86% to 89% of discs showed degeneration over the age of 60. Few people over 70 were scanned in these studies.

The changes and the pain are only weakly linked. In 205 people with neck pain followed for 10 years or more, their pain wasn't related to the changes on their X-rays. In 159 volunteers followed for 10 years, 15% developed neck pain, and changes low in the neck at the start predicted who did. The CSP says there isn't a strong link between scan findings and pain, and NHS inform says most people with these changes on scans have no neck pain, and that the diagnosis "does not necessarily mean you will have permanent neck pain".

Sources 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 5

A trapped nerve: pain down one armEmerging evidence

A nerve root pressed on by a disc or a bony change (cervical radiculopathy) usually sends sharp pain down one arm, often worse than the neck pain, with pins and needles, numbness or weakness; Arthritis UK says one or both arms. In Rochester, Minnesota, between 1976 and 1990, it was diagnosed in 83.2 people per 100,000 a year, most often at 50 to 54 (202.9 per 100,000), and 68.4% of cases were linked with spondylosis, a disc or both. 26% had surgery, and at the last follow-up 90% had no symptoms or were only mildly affected.

With a disc, substantial improvement tends to come within the first 4 to 6 months, and complete recovery took 24 to 36 months in about 83% of people, in a review of the best evidence. A scan matters when surgery is being considered for weakness in the arm or severe pain that won't go away, and the surgeon will ask for one (Arthritis UK). Our pinched nerve guide has its own plan.

Sources 15, 16, 9, 17

Pressure on the spinal cord: the cause most easily missedStrong evidence

When age-related changes narrow the space around the spinal cord enough to press on it (degenerative cervical myelopathy), the main clues are in the hands and the walking: clumsy hands (doing up buttons, using keys or a phone, handwriting, dropping things), numb hands, unsteady walking or more falls, bladder changes and, in severe cases, an electric-shock feeling down the spine when the neck bends. It usually gets slowly worse over months. A clinical review in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) asks doctors to consider it in anyone over 50 with symptoms like these that are getting worse, and notes that people may put them down to "getting older". It is usually first diagnosed in the 50s and is uncommon before 40.

How common it is can only be estimated. A review of 19 MRI studies estimated it at 2.3% (in 1,202 people), and UK modelling from scan data suggests about 2.2%, against 0.19% with a hospital diagnosis, a gap that is greatest in older people. These estimates put it at about 2% of adults, most of them undiagnosed. Diagnosis is slow: the average delay was 1 to 2 years in an online survey of about 780 people with it, with longer delays going with more disability, and 2.2 years and 5.2 consultations in a study of 42 people who had surgery, which the BMJ review cites.

Without surgery, 20% to 62% of people with symptoms get worse over 3 to 6 years. An international spine surgery guideline strongly recommends surgery for moderate and severe cases, and surgery or a supervised trial of structured rehabilitation for mild ones, and the BMJ review says treatment within 6 months of symptoms offers the best chance of recovery, with an urgent MRI scan when the problem is getting worse. That's why sudden signs are a 999 call and slowly worsening ones need a GP or NHS 111 the same day (the warning signs). Long-standing rheumatoid arthritis can also cause pressure on the spinal cord at the top of the neck, which the NHS describes as uncommon but serious.

Sources 18, 8, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: later-life conditions with their own cluesStrong evidence

Polymyalgia rheumatica causes pain, stiffness and inflammation in the muscles around the shoulders, neck and hips, and its main symptom is morning stiffness that lasts longer than 45 minutes; extreme tiredness, loss of appetite, weight loss and depression can come with it. Most people diagnosed are over 65, it's very rare under 50, and it's more common in women (the NHS). In the UK about 96 in every 100,000 people over 40 are diagnosed each year, and the British Society for Rheumatology puts it at about 1% of the UK population. Steroid treatment usually lasts 12 months to 2 years (the NHS); in UK records, continuous treatment lasted a median of 15.8 months.

Neck aching doesn't tell it apart on its own. In the study behind its classification criteria, 57% of 125 people with polymyalgia rheumatica had neck aching, but so did 54% of 169 people with conditions that mimic it. Morning stiffness lasting more than 45 minutes (77% against 43%) and hip pain or limited hip movement (57% against 35%) told them apart better, while aching in both shoulders was near universal in both groups (99% and 96%).

Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis) inflames arteries in the head and neck. Up to 1 in 5 people with polymyalgia rheumatica develop it, the NHS says, while the British Society for Rheumatology's 2026 guideline gives about 5% to 10%, adding that many people with giant cell arteritis also have symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica. It is uncommon: about 2.2 diagnoses for every 10,000 people a year in UK general practice in 1990 to 2001, and 1.0 per 10,000 people aged 50 and over a year in 2000 to 2011, highest (7.4) in women aged 70 to 79. Its signs are a new or frequent headache, a sore or tender scalp, pain in the jaw muscles or tongue when eating or talking, and sight problems, which need a GP immediately or NHS 111; suddenly being unable to see from 1 or both eyes needs 999 (the warning signs).

Sources 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

After a fall: at 65 or over, even a minor one can break the neckStrong evidence

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) counts being 65 or over as a high-risk factor for a neck injury, using the Canadian C-spine rule. With a head injury, it asks for a computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck within 1 hour when a neck injury is suspected in someone 65 or over, or in someone with neck pain and a condition such as axial spondyloarthritis. After a neck injury, NHS inform says call 999 for severe neck pain, a head that can't be moved or a fall from 5 or more stairs, and call 111 for new numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, clumsy hands, or a history of osteoporosis or rheumatoid arthritis.

The pattern changes with age. Of 149 people aged 65 and over with neck injuries at one US trauma centre, 64% injured the upper neck. Car crashes were the main cause at 65 to 75, and falls from standing or sitting height over 75; over half had breaks that put the spinal cord at risk, even without nerve signs at first. Of 21,986 emergency neck CT scans at another US centre, fractures showed in 2.0% of people 65 and over and 1.6% of younger people, and 55.8% of the older group's fractures followed a fall from standing. In Finland, severe neck injuries from falls in people aged 50 and over rose from 59 in 1970 to 228 in 2004.

A spine stiffened by ankylosing spondylitis or a similar condition can break after a minor knock, mostly in the neck, and the diagnosis is often delayed, a review of 93 articles found. That's why our suggestion is a same-day check for neck pain after even a minor fall at 65 or over, or with a stiffened spine (the warning signs): how it feels doesn't rule out a break, and a scan decides.

Sources 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39

The heart can be felt in the neck or jawStrong evidence

Chest pain that spreads to the arms, neck or jaw is a 999 call (the NHS). Angina, a sign of a heart problem, is sudden pain in the chest, neck, shoulders, jaw or arms, often brought on by exercise, stress, emotion or cold; attacks usually last less than 10 minutes and ease with rest, and the NHS says get help from NHS 111 for symptoms that come and go.

Across 27 studies of people with a heart attack or unstable angina, women had 1.83 times the odds of neck pain and 1.75 times the odds of jaw pain compared with men, though chest pain was the commonest symptom in both (79% of men and 74% of women) and the symptoms overlapped a great deal. Neck or jaw pain that comes on with effort and eases with rest needs checking.

Sources 40, 41, 42

Rare causes: calcium crystals, infection, cancer and a dropped headEmerging evidence

Crowned dens syndrome is a flare of calcium crystals around the peg of bone at the top of the neck. It is uncommon, and no one has measured how often it happens: a review gathered 196 reported cases, with an average age of 73. Its clues are sudden, severe neck pain and stiffness, sometimes with a fever and a headache (all 8 people in one case series had both), and blood tests showing raised inflammation in most. It was most often first mistaken for meningitis (21.4%), and also for polymyalgia rheumatica or giant cell arteritis. A CT scan shows the calcium best (97.3% of cases, against 68.4% for MRI), and anti-inflammatory medicines were the commonest treatment (62.5%), with improvement in 96.6%. Calcium around the peg is common on the scans of older people with neck pain (29.2% of 195 neck CT scans at 40 and over, and nearly half of those over 70), but that isn't the same as the syndrome.

An infection in the spine is rare too: in a Danish county, it rose from 2.2 to 5.8 cases per 100,000 people a year between 1995 and 2008, and was several times more common over 70. In a review of 14 studies of 1,008 people, back pain and a fever were the commonest first symptoms, and the lower back was the part most often affected. With neck pain, a fever or feeling generally unwell needs a GP, severe neck pain that comes on suddenly needs a same-day check, and a stiff neck with a very painful headache, dislike of bright lights, a rash or confusion is a 999 call for meningitis (the warning signs).

Cancer is a rare cause. NICE asks GPs to offer blood tests for myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow, to people aged 60 and over with persistent bone pain, particularly back pain, or an unexplained fracture, and the NHS lists bone pain in the back, hips, shoulders or ribs among its symptoms. Swollen glands in the neck usually come with an infection and go down within 1 to 2 weeks, and are rarely caused by cancer (the NHS). Dropped head syndrome, where weak neck muscles let the chin sink towards the chest, is rare; a GP can look for the cause (our suggestion).

Sources 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51

How it usually goesEmerging evidence

For ordinary neck pain and flare-ups of neck arthritis, the biggest change usually comes in the first couple of weeks, and most problems improve within 8 weeks (NHS inform). It often comes back: in population studies, between half and three quarters of people with neck pain report it again 1 to 5 years later. Over the long run most people improve: of 205 people followed for 10 years or more, 79% had less pain and 43% none, though 32% still had moderate or severe pain. How it goes in later life has been studied less than in younger adults.

A trapped nerve usually improves substantially within 4 to 6 months, pressure on the spinal cord tends to get worse without treatment, and polymyalgia rheumatica usually needs steroids for 12 months to 2 years (above). No one can promise a timescale.

Sources 52, 8, 53, 13, 17, 22, 24

Keep moving, little and often, and skip the collarStrong evidence

The NHS says don't wear a neck collar unless a doctor tells you to, as it's better to keep your neck moving. NHS inform says move your neck for short periods every hour, avoid staying in one position for too long, and keep up your normal activities, even at a slower pace. A Canadian guideline from the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration says clinicians shouldn't offer a collar for ordinary neck pain. Arthritis UK says self-help and a day or two's rest are often enough to clear up a spell of neck pain, and NHS inform says exercises "may be uncomfortable to start but they are safe to do".

The health services' exercise sheets start small. NHS inform's neck movements are held for 2 seconds, 2 to 3 at a time, every hour, adding 1 or 2 every few days towards about 10, and its cervical spondylosis strength exercises build from sets of 8, 2 to 3 times a day, to a maximum of 2 sets of 15. The NHS flexibility exercises hold a neck turn for 5 seconds, 3 times each side, and its sitting exercises hold an upper-body twist for 5 seconds, 5 times each side; Arthritis UK's neck exercises are held for 5 seconds, 5 times each side, sitting down for balance, or lying down if turning is uncomfortable. These are health-service starting points, not doses tested in trials.

Sources 54, 52, 55, 9, 8, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60

Strengthening has the best evidence, mostly from younger adultsEmerging evidence

In a Cochrane review of 27 trials, strength training for the neck, shoulder blades and arms reduced long-lasting neck pain by a moderate to large amount, straight after treatment and in the short term (moderate-quality evidence), while stretching alone may not change pain (low-quality evidence). Across 40 trials, motor control exercise, yoga, Pilates, tai chi, qigong and strengthening all beat no treatment by similar amounts, on very low quality evidence, so no single type is clearly best. These trials mostly enrolled working-age adults, so for later life the evidence is borrowed.

In a snapshot study, 93 older adults with long-lasting neck pain had weaker neck muscles and poorer balance than 93 without. It can't show which came first, but it fits a plan that strengthens the neck and trains balance.

Sources 61, 62, 63

In people aged 65 and over: one trial and a few small onesEmerging evidence

Only one trial has tested treatment for long-lasting neck pain in people aged 65 and over. In 241 people with neck pain for 12 weeks or more, 12 weeks of home exercise plus spinal manipulation gave a 10% greater fall in pain than home exercise alone; adding supervised exercise sessions made no clear difference, and there were no serious side effects from the treatments. There was no untreated group, so it can't show how much the home exercise itself helped, and only its summary was read for this guide.

Smaller studies point the same way. Traditional Chinese exercises such as Baduanjin, tai chi and qigong, added to usual care, eased pain in middle-aged and older people across 21 small trials in China, the US and Germany, and in 35 older adults, heat packs plus neck stabilising exercises eased pain more than the exercises alone over 5 days. Manipulation isn't for everyone: the BMJ review says it is "strictly contraindicated" with pressure on the spinal cord, and Arthritis UK says get advice first, as some therapies won't be recommended with a condition such as osteoporosis.

Sources 64, 65, 66, 18, 9

Strength and balance exercise prevents fallsStrong evidence

In a Cochrane review of 108 trials whose participants averaged 76, exercise cut the rate of falls by 23% (59 trials, 12,981 people, high-certainty evidence). NICE asks for falls prevention programmes that are progressive and tailored to the person. The NHS advises adults aged 65 and over to do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week; its strength exercises start with 5 slow sit-to-stands, and its balance exercises (sideways walking, heel-to-toe walking and one-leg stands) are done at least twice a week near a wall or a stable chair.

The NHS says see a GP after a fall or if you're worried about your balance. A fall at 65 or over matters for the neck as well as the hip (above).

Sources 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72

Painkillers: short courses, with a pharmacist's checkStrong evidence

The NHS suggests paracetamol or ibuprofen, or ibuprofen gel on the neck. Ibuprofen may not be suitable if you have or have had a stomach ulcer, or have asthma, a heart, liver or kidney condition or problems with blood clotting, or have had a stroke (the NHS). Arthritis UK suggests anti-inflammatory tablets as a short course of about 5 to 10 days, saying they're unlikely to help if they haven't within that time, and asks you to check with a pharmacist first, as they can interact with medicines such as warfarin. For severe symptoms from a pinched nerve, a doctor may prescribe medicines that target the nerve, such as gabapentin or pregabalin (Arthritis UK).

This is health-service advice: no trial of painkillers for neck pain in later life was reviewed for this guide.

Sources 54, 73, 9

A collar for a recent trapped nerve: a little faster, no better by 6 monthsEmerging evidence

In 205 adults aged 18 to 75 (average about 47) whose arm pain from a trapped nerve had started within the past month, arm pain fell by 19 points out of 100 over 6 weeks with wait and see, and by about 12 points more with a semi-hard collar and rest for 3 to 6 weeks, or with 6 weeks of physiotherapy and home exercises. By 6 months most people had little or no pain, and the groups didn't differ. No trial has tested this in later life, and for ordinary neck pain the advice is no collar (above).

Source 16

Injections and surgery: for a nerve or the spinal cord, not for scan changesStrong evidence

Arthritis UK says a local anaesthetic or steroid injection into the small facet joints of the neck may help "in a very small minority of cases", and that regular steroid injections are no longer advised. The NHS considers surgery only when a nerve is being pinched or there is a problem with the spinal cord, and says it "is not always a cure but it may stop your symptoms getting worse"; Arthritis UK says it is only rarely needed.

For a trapped nerve, in a trial of 63 people, 87% felt better a year after surgery plus physiotherapy against 62% after physiotherapy alone, but by 2 years the difference was no longer clear (81% against 69%), and the authors advise trying structured physiotherapy before choosing surgery. For moderate or severe pressure on the spinal cord, the international spine surgery guideline strongly recommends surgery (moderate-quality evidence), and its review found complications in 14.1% of people after surgery.

Sources 9, 7, 74, 22

Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: steroids, fast, and staying activeStrong evidence

Steroids are the main treatment for both, and for giant cell arteritis they are started before it is confirmed, because of the risk to sight (the NHS). The British Society for Rheumatology calls giant cell arteritis a medical emergency: GPs should start steroids alongside an urgent referral, and a specialist should see the person ideally on the same working day, and within 3 working days in all cases. European recommendations from 2025 ask for specialist assessment within 24 hours, with steroids started without delay when the suspicion is strong. In one UK service, a fast-track pathway cut permanent sight loss from 37.0% to 9.0%, compared with earlier years (an observational study).

For polymyalgia rheumatica, the British Society for Rheumatology's 2026 guideline asks for information on self-care, including physical activity and pacing, for everyone with it. The exercise booklet from PMRGCAuk, the UK charity for polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis, holds each stretch for up to 20 seconds, repeated 5 times, at least twice a day, and says stop neck turns if they make you dizzy. Its amounts were written with patients and health professionals; they haven't been tested in a trial.

Sources 24, 30, 75, 76, 77, 26, 78

Posture and pillows matter less than people thinkMixed evidence

The CSP says there is increasing evidence that posture plays a much smaller role in neck problems than once thought, so changing position often matters more than holding a perfect one; the NHS says don't keep your neck in the same position for a long time. For pillows, the NHS suggests a low, firm pillow with your head at the same height as the rest of your body, while Arthritis UK warns that a pillow that is too firm or thick can make neck pain worse and suggests one that fills the hollow between your neck and shoulders. Our neck pain guide found no pillow shown to be clearly best, so choose what keeps your head level and comfortable.

Sources 5, 54, 9

A flare: the first days (written steps)

Our 3D figure can't show these. Each step names its source.

• 1. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen, or use ibuprofen gel on your neck (the NHS). Ask a pharmacist first if ibuprofen may not suit you, for example with a stomach ulcer, asthma, or a heart, liver or kidney condition (the NHS).
• 2. Put a pack of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel on your neck for 5 minutes, 3 times a day, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a tea towel for 20 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day (the NHS). Never put heat or ice straight on your skin, leave a few hours between treatments, and use neither if you have problems with circulation or feeling (NHS inform).
• 3. Move your neck for short periods every hour, avoid staying in one position for too long, and keep up your usual activities, even at a slower pace (NHS inform).
• 4. Don't wear a neck collar unless a doctor tells you to: it's better to keep your neck moving (the NHS).

Sources 54, 73, 8, 52

Pillows and sleep (written steps)

Each step names its source.

• 1. Use a low, firm pillow and a firm mattress, keep your head at the same height as the rest of your body, don't sleep on your front, and don't twist your neck in bed (the NHS).
• 2. If your pillow feels too firm or thick, change the number or position of your pillows so they fill the natural hollow between your neck and shoulders; a soft or moulded pillow, or a supportive roll inside the pillowcase, may help (Arthritis UK).
• 3. If pain at night stops you getting to sleep, a painkiller such as paracetamol before bed can ease it for long enough to fall asleep (Arthritis UK).
• 4. The NHS and Arthritis UK differ on how firm a pillow should be, so choose what keeps your head level and comfortable (editorial). Our neck pain from sleeping guide goes further.

Sources 54, 9

Sitting, screens, reading and the phone (written steps)

Each step names its source.

• 1. Don't keep your neck in the same position for a long time, for example at a desk (the NHS). The CSP says posture plays a much smaller role than once thought, so changing position often matters more than holding a perfect one.
• 2. Sit in a firm, upright chair rather than a low, soft sofa, with your feet flat on the floor and your knees slightly lower than your hips (Arthritis UK).
• 3. Put a book or papers on a reading frame, check that your desk and screen aren't so low that your head is bent forward for long, and get up regularly to stretch and walk around (Arthritis UK).
• 4. Don't cradle the phone between your ear and shoulder: use a headset, or hold the phone (Arthritis UK).
• 5. If you tip your head back to read through the lower part of varifocal or bifocal glasses, or crane forward to see a screen, mention it at your next eye test (our suggestion; we found no study of glasses and neck pain).

Sources 54, 9, 5

Driving (written steps)

Each step names its source.

• 1. Don't do anything that could be dangerous because you can't move your neck, such as driving (the NHS).
• 2. Before you set off, adjust your seat, mirrors and head restraint (the Highway Code), and make sure the headrest isn't too low or pushed too far back (Arthritis UK).
• 3. Before moving off, use all your mirrors, then look round to check the blind spots, the areas the mirrors don't show. When reversing, get someone to guide you if you can't see clearly (the Highway Code). Turning your shoulders with your head as you look round is our suggestion.
• 4. You must tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if a spinal condition affects your ability to drive, and check with your doctor before you drive again after spinal surgery (GOV.UK). The Highway Code says you must report any health condition likely to affect your driving.

Sources 54, 79, 9, 80, 81

Staying active, and work (written steps)

Each step names its source.

• 1. Be active every day, even if it's just light activity, break up long spells of sitting, and do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week (the NHS's advice for adults aged 65 and over).
• 2. If you work, you don't need to be free of pain and other symptoms to go back, and staying at or returning to work is usually the best way to get better (NHS inform).

Sources 69, 52

If you fall, and around the home (written steps)

These come from the NHS falls page, as in our hip and back pain in older adults guides.

• 1. If you fall, try to stay calm, and take a couple of minutes to check for pain or injury. If you feel able to get up, take your time: roll onto your side, push up onto your hands and knees, crawl to something stable such as a heavy piece of furniture, put one foot flat on the floor and stand up slowly, holding on, then sit down and rest.
• 2. If you can't get up, use a phone or personal alarm, or shout or bang on a wall or the floor for help; keep warm, keep moving gently, and try to change position about every 30 minutes. If someone else has fallen, keep them comfortable and warm, but don't try to lift them yourself.
• 3. Call 999 if someone has fallen and may have hurt the head, back, neck or hip, or can't get up; get help from NHS 111 if they may be in pain, injured or unwell; and see a GP after a fall or if you're worried about your balance. In some areas you can refer yourself to a falls service.
• 4. Around the home: shoes or slippers that fit well, don't slip off and grip; a personal alarm or a mobile phone with you; a non-slip mat in the bath or shower; rails on steps and grab rails in the bathroom; less clutter and nothing to trip on, such as loose wires or rugs; and help with tasks you find difficult, such as lifting or reaching. Your local council can do a free care needs assessment, including changes to make your home safer.
• 5. Have regular eye tests, get your ears and hearing checked, as ear problems can affect your balance, and speak to a GP or pharmacist if you think your medicines could be affecting your balance (the NHS). Practising getting down to the floor and back up is the plan's last stage.

Source 72