Osteoporosis

Bone is a living tissue that is constantly repairing itself. Healthy bones that are under constant repair are very dense and have small spaces between their cells. In osteoporosis, the bones become thin and weak. Living bone cells are no longer able to break down old bone and renew it with healthy, dense, new bone.

Causes of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis can occur naturally. From around the age of 35, the body loses more bone cells than it replaces. This causes the bones to become thinner and weaker.

Women are at a greater risk of osteoporosis due to the decrease in the hormone estrogen after menopause. Estrogen is essential for healthy bones. Males who have low levels of testosterone are also likely to get osteoporosis.

If you have any condition that affects hormone producing glands, you are at risk of getting osteoporosis. These diseases normally affect the levels of estrogen and testosterone and include:

• Diabetes,
• Pituitary gland disorders,
• Over active thyroid gland, and
• Disorders of the adrenal glands

Other factors that can increase the risk of osteoporosis include:

• Family history of osteoporosis,
• Heavy drinking and smoking,
• Inadequate amounts of calcium,
• Long periods of inactivity, and
• Long term use of high does corticosteroid treatment

Osteoporosis Symptoms

Osteoporosis develops slowly over several years. The early warning signs include joint pains, difficulty standing or sitting. When the bones are significantly thinned, any break or fracture can take a very long time to heal. A cough or a sneeze can cause a rib fracture.

The most common sign of serious osteoporosis is the bent forward position that older people have. This occurs when the bones in the spine are fractured, making it difficult to support the weight of the body.

Osteoporosis Treatment

Some of the main osteoporosis treatments include:

• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – Normally used to maintain bone density in women going through menopause
• Testosterone treatment,
• Bisphosphonates – Non hormonal drugs that maintain bone density,
• Calcitonin,
• Calcium and vitamin D supplements, and
• Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM’s)

Prevention of Osteoporosis

Lifestyle changes are the main ways to prevent osteoporosis. Some of the things that one can do include:

• Regular exercise,
• Weight-bearing exercise to strengthen the bones,
• Resistance exercises,
• Eating a healthy diet rich in calcium,
• Quit smoking,
• Limit alcohol intake

Osteoporosis is manageable especially if one keeps a healthy lifestyle even when young.

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