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OSTEOPOROSIS


The Silent Disease

Osteoporosis is a common disease which affects about one in three women and one in eight men over the age of fifty. Osteoporosis makes bones fragile and more likely to break. The name means "porous bone". Osteoporosis is often called "the silent disease", because bone loss develops without noticeable symptoms.

In osteoporosis, the density and quality of bone are reduced. This results in weakness of the skeleton and increased risk of broken bones. The most common fractures associated with osteoporosis are those of the pelvis, the spine, the wrist, the hip, and the upper arm.

Osteoporosis and its fractures are a significant cause of hospitalization and fatal decline in the elderly. Women are four times more likely than men to develop the disease.
 

DETECTION
Bone density tests can detect osteoporosis before a fracture occurs, and can predict your likelihood of sustaining a fracture in future. Your doctor would have to examine you and your history to determine whether a bone density test is warranted.

Moderate alcohol intake may have beneficial effects on bone mass. However, excessive alcohol intake reduces bone mass. Smoking is known to be detrimental to bone health and smokers have a higher lifetime risk of hip fracture than non-smokers.
 

PREVENTION
Bone loss in women can begin as early as age 25. Good nutrition is essential for building and maintaining healthy bones. Calcium has been shown to contribute to healthy bones in all age groups, and the best way to keep your calcium intake high enough for good health is through a balanced diet. Dairy products are an excellent source of dietary calcium. It is important to balance the calcium intake with adequate vitamin D...."the sunshine vitamn".

There are several treatment medications and supplements for persons with diagnosed osteoporosis, but there is no actual cure. Osteoporosis is, however, preventable...with a prevention strategy beginning "the younger, the better".

PREVENTION OF FRACTURES
With a degree of developed osteoporosis, a fracture prevention strategy is as important as nutrition. Most fractures can be prevented by preventing falls. The three most predictive factors for falling are muscle weakness, particularly around the hip joint, unsteadiness, and the intake of more than three medications. Regular exercise will increase muscle strength and make a person more steady, better able to balance. Weight-bearing exercise is particularly good, as it tends to trigger bone growth or regeneration. Good vision is also important in maintaining balance, and is a product of both nutrition and corrective lenses.

Regular exercise is healthful in so many ways!
 

No information offered on this site is a substitute for consultation with your physician.
Always consult your physician before changing medication or adding complementary or alternative treatment
to treatment prescribed or advised by your physician.