ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS AND ITS TREATMENTS

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS AND ITS TREATMENTS – ZIGIHOW.COM.NG

What Is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone, which reduces the bones density causing the bone to be fragile and weak from the inside. The inside of a healthy bone has little spaces that looks like a honey comb, osteoporosis causes these space to increase thereby causing the bone to loose strength and density.

Some Facts About Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is more common in older adults especially women, though it can occur to anyone at any age. Research has it that more that 44million people women and men aged 50 years and above in the United States (USA) either have osteoporosis or has a higher risk of developing it.

Osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures Worldwide annually, resulting in an osteoporotic fracture every 3 seconds.

Osteoporosis is estimated to affect 200 million women worldwide – approximately one-tenth of women aged 60, one-fifth of women aged 70, two-fifths of women aged 80 and two-thirds of women aged 90.
Osteoporosis affects an estimated 75 million people in Europe, USA and Japan.

For the year 2000, there were an estimated 9 million new cases of osteoporotic fractures, of which 1.6 million were at the hip, 1.7 million were at the forearm and 1.4 million were clinical vertebral fractures. Europe and the Americas accounted for 51% of all these fractures, while most of the remainder occurred in the Western Pacific region and Southeast Asia.

People with osteoporosis has high risk of bone breaks while performing their daily activities, especially standing and walking for too long, the most affected bones are ribs, wrists, hips and spine.

What Are The Symptoms Of Osteoporosis?

In the early stages of osteoporosis, there isn’t any symptoms or signs. Most cases, people with osteoporosis don’t know they have it until fracture occurs.

But in any case if symptoms do appear, the early ones are:

• Back pain, caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra.
• Fractures that occures easily than expected.
• progressive loss of height.
• Weakened grip strength.
• Weak and brittle nails.
• Receding gums.

If you happen to have a family history of osteoporosis, it’s adviced to talk to yourself doctor as soon as possible to help you assess your risk of having it.

What Are The Causes Of Osteoporosis?

1. Age

Throughout our lifetime, our body breakes down the old bones and grows new bones. When you’re in your 30’s the body breaks more bones faster than it can replace them, this leads to weakening and fragility and can result to fractures. It’s advised to increase your intakes on Fruits and Foods that are extremely rich in calcium.

2. Menopause.

Another risk factor associated with osteoporosis is menopause. Which occurs in women aged around 45-55 years. menopause can cause a woman’s body to lose bone even more quickly, due to change in hormones levels associated with it.

Research has it that men also lose bone at this age, but not at the same rate with women. But at the age of 65-70 both men and women losses bone at the same rate.

3.Calcium Deficiency: (Lack Of Calcium)

Hypocalcemia, commonly known as calcium deficiency disease, occurs when calcium levels in the blood are low. A long-term deficiency can lead todental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle. When we don’t get the calcium our body needs, it is taken from our bones. This is fine once in a while, because our body cannot produce it’s own calcium, but if it happens too often or on a regular basis the bones get weak and easier to break.

4. Some Medical Conditions And Medications.

Certain Medical Conditions such as hyperthyroidism, can cause osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can also occur when there is a long-term oral or injected corticosteroids such as prednisone or cortisone.

What Are The Risk Factors Of Osteoporosis?

The biggest risk factor in which osteoporosis can occur to an individual are:

• Deficiency Of Calcium (Lack of calcium).
• Being an older adult.
• Being a female.
• Having a family history of osteoporosis.
• Smoking.
• Taking certain medication.
• Physical inactivity.
• Small-boned frame.
• Being Caucasian or Asian.

You can control some risk factors associated with osteoporosis by improving your diet calcium and nutrition intakes, also excercise regularly. Learn more on fruits and foods aboundantly rich in calcium.

Osteoporosis Bone Density Diagnosis.

For the osteoporosis test, your doctor will have to review your medical history and do a physical examination. They may also run tests of your blood and urine to check for conditions that may cause bone loss. If your doctor thinks you may or likely have osteoporosis or that you’re at risk of developing it, they’ll likely suggest a bone density test.

This test is called bone densitometry, or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). It uses X-rays to measure the density of the bones in your wrists, hips, or spine. These are the three areas most at risk of osteoporosis.

Treatments For Osteoporosis.

There isn’t any cure for osteoporosis rather some medications can be issued by the doctor to the osteoporosis patient to strengthen the bone and slow further bone breakdown, and Promotes the growth of new bone.

The doctor can also prepare a lifestyle plan for the osteoporosis patient by advising him or her to increase his or her Vitamin D and Calcium intake as well as regular and appropriate excercise.

Medications For Osteoporosis.

The most common and used drugs to treat osteoporosis are called bisphosphonates.

bisphosphonates are used to prevent the rate of mass bone breakedown, they can be taken orally or injected.

They include:

• alendronate (Fosamax)
• ibandronate (Boniva)
• zoledronic acid (Reclast)

Other medications that may be used to prevent bone loss or stimulate and Promote bone growth are:

• Testosterone: Testosterone therapy may help increase bone density and Promote strong bones for men.
• Hormone therapy: Estrogen is used during and after menopause and can help stop bone density loss for women. Unfortunately, estrogen therapy has also been associated with increased risk of blood clots, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.
• Raloxifene (Evista): This very medication has been found to provide the benefits of estrogen without many of the risks, although there is still an increased risk of blood clots.
• Denosumab (Xgeva or Prolia): This drug is taken by injection and may prove even more promising than bisphosphonates at reducing bone loss.
• Teriparatide (Forteo): This drug is also taken by injection and stimulates and Promotes bone growth.
• Calcitonin salmon (Fortical and Miacalcin) This drug is taken as a nasal spray and reduces bone reabsorption. Talk to your doctor about any increased risk of cancer with this drug.

Natural Approach To Osteoporosis.

1. Increase Your nutrition intakes.

Nutrients such as Protein, Calcium, Vitamin D, , magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and vitamin K,  will be of a good benefits to an osteoporosis patient, as this nutrients strengthens and promotes stronger bones, thereby preventing further bone breakedown and fractures.

Foods to get this nutrients from are: Beans, Eggs, White Meats, Milk, Nuts, Seeds and yogurts.

2. Appropriate Excercise.

Excercise is really beneficial to osteoporosis patients, because it can Help build bone mass, improves balances and flexibility, reduces stress and prevents inflammation.

Note: Not all types of excercise are meant to be participated by osteoporosis patients. To be safe, avoid all activities that require lots of jumping, bending forward from the waist or too much twisting of the spine.

Recommended excercise activities for osteoporosis patients include:
Walking and other light-weight activities such as walking, swimming, squats and assisted push-ups, yoga and tai chi.

3. Try To Prevent Falls.

According to research the National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that each year about one-third of all people over age 65 will fall, and many times this will result in a fracture/broken bone. below are simple guide to take to reduce the risk of falling and injuries.

• Use walking sticks
• Try to get up from where you’re sitting slowly.
• Avoid walking on a wet floor.
• Always use torch light when walking in the dark.
• Wearcomfortable shoes that will help you balance.
• When climbing the stairs use hand rails to support yourself.

Conclusion

Osteoporosis is a serious illness with lots of complications, which has serious effects and can lead to serious fractures which can be very painful. For example, treatment of hip fracture can result to staying on the hospital bed for a long time which can increase chances of blood Clots, pneumonia, and other infections.

There is alot you can do to prevent osteoporosis from occuring, and also to treat it if it eventually occured, from eating right and getting appropriate excercise. If you’re in any risk of having osteoporosis or you happen to see signs of it, see your doctor as soon as possible.