Our bones play a very important role in the overall function of the body. They help in providing a frame for the body and they help in protecting the vital organs like the heart. They are also beneficial in producing blood, which is used by the body. Furthermore, when you walk, or run, the bones and the muscles are the ones that work together. Thus, anything that affects the normal functioning of the bones is a worry. One of the bone conditions that may affect humans is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis occurs when the bone density reduces and the body stops producing more than before. This is quite disturbing, therefore its just right to know the causes, symptoms, and the treatments for osteoporosis. If you wan to know all of these and more, feel free to read on to this article.
Osteoporosis?
As we grow older and older, there are some things that we learn to accept as part of our aging process. There is this one condition that actually seems to trouble more people than any other. Arthritis and cognitive decline are some of the main issues of elderlies. However, there is another that affects them –osteoporosis. In this particular condition, the bones begin to get weaker and weaker. It actually affects millions and millions of people all around the world.
Osteoporosis is a condition wherein the calcium levels of the body drop and the bone strength and density decline. This is what makes the breaking of the bone easier. When this is combined unsteadiness and some chronic type of inflammation or elderly people, this may become a major health concern.
There are about 70% of people who are over the age of 80 who suffers from the condition. Furthermore, the rate of broken backs, fore arms, as well as hips have increased drastically in the populations of the elderlies. These can be caused by some crippling accidents, and may often signal the start or the onset of osteoporosis. The areas where the bones have been broken more often remain considerably weakened. Not only that, the sufferers may also feel some lingering I chronic pain.
This may lead to the reduced mobility of that particular person, increased weakness, as well as pharmaceutical dependency. This will then create a vicious cycle for the sufferers, thus making it hard to recover. The prevention is what gets important attention when it comes to the condition of osteoporosis. Furthermore, there are some medications that may be beneficial in increasing the bone strength and keeping your bones strong.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Osteoporosis?
Bone loss, which leads to osteoporosis actually develops in a slow manner. Often times, there are no symptoms or any outward signs/ not only that, the person suffering from it may also not know that they have it until they experience a certain fracture after having a minor incident, just like a sudden fall, or even a sneeze or a cough. The more common areas that get affected are the spinal vertebrae, wrist, and the hips. Breaks in the spinal vertebrae may lead to changes in the posture, curvature of the spine, and a stoop.
Some more symptoms of osteoporosis include:
- Spinal, wrist, or hip fracture
- There is a gradual loss of height and an accompanying deformed posture
- A backache
What Causes Osteoporosis?
There are some factors that may increase the risk of osteoporosis. Some of which are modifiable and some are unavoidable.
Diet and Lifestyle Choices:
- Inactivity or immobility
- Low level intake of calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium
- Excessive consumption of alcohol
- Tobacco smoking
- Eating disorders
Unavoidable factors:
- Fracture history
- Genetic factors
- Bone structure
- Ethnicity
- Reduced sex hormones
- Age
Treatments for Osteoporosis
The treatments for osteoporosis focuses mainly on the following:
- Maximizing a person’s ability to continue with their own life
- Reducing the pain
- Preventing fractures
- Maintaining the bone’s healthy mineral density as well as its bone mass
- Slow or prevent the onset of osteoporosis
The treatments for osteoporosis are done through some preventive lifestyle measure and the use of supplements and some other drugs.
Drug therapy: there are some drugs or medications that may be beneficial for the prevention of the condition. these include:
- RANK ligand inhibitors
- Parathyroid hormone
- Calcitonin
- Estrogen antagonists
- Bisphonates
Home remedies: if you want to go natural and is not familiar with the above-mentioned medications, you can use the following:
- Calcium supplements
- Pineapple juice
- Milk
- Spinach
- Regular exercise
- Salmon
- Red clover
- Quit smoking
- Tofu
- Vinegar
Lifestyle Changes for the Prevention of Osteoporosis
Some ways that can be beneficial for the prevention of osteoporosis include:
- Doing some exercises to promote balance and flexibility, just like yoga
- Getting regular exercises that are weight-bearing, just like walking
- Limiting the intake of alcohol, this is to encourage bone health and prevent any falls
- No to smoking. This can be beneficial in reducing the growth of new bones and reduce the estrogen levels in women
