Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease of bones leading to the fragility of bones and fracture. Usually the bones in the region of hips, spines and wrist get affected even from a minor fall or from a simple action like sneezing. This disease generally occur in women, but elderly men or even young people can be victims of osteoporosis.
Risk Factors
Bones in our body are complex tissues that that provide structural support for the body. On an average, bones grow and remain strong till the age of 30. With age, the bones become weak and new bones are not formed easily. The risk factors that accelerates the chances of having osteoporosis are :
Age : Elderly men and women are mainly affected by osteoporosis as the bone mineral density becomes less with age and the bones become fragile.
Gender: Women have greater chance of having osteoporosis after their menopause as there is low level of secretion of estrogen hormone in the body. Estrogen is responsible for the growth of bones. Similarly the lower testosterone level in men can affect their growth of bones but at a lesser degree.
Family history: This is a hereditary disease and people whose parents or relatives already had osteoporosis, need to be more careful.
Being small and thin – If one is too thin ie. Has low body mass index , then he or she is more prone to Osteoporosis.
Race. Surveys indicate that the disease is mostly common among Caucasian and Asian women. However, African American and Hispanic women are at significant risk for developing the disease.
Lifestyle: Alcoholism, regular tobacco intake or less amount of calcium in the diet increases the risk of osteoporosis. Also, insufficient physical exercise is another risk factor. Enough physical exercise and activities increases the bone mass and the body remains fit which lessens the chance of falling down. However, excessive physical exercises can damage the bone tissues.
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Diseases – Hormonal disorders or diseases like liver disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal diseases can lead to osteoporosis.
Medications - Osteoporosis can occur as a side effect of medication. A class of medicine called the glucocorticoids are significant risk factor for the disease.
Signs and symptoms
Usually a patient does not realize the fragility of the bones until they get fractured. However, there can be some symptoms like back pain, loss of height, weakness or numbness of muscles and these symptoms should not be neglected.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of Osteoporosis is mainly done by the body mineral density(BMD) test. If the body mineral density is low, then there is more risk of Osteoporosis. Also, the doctor will see the family record of Osteoporosis and other X-rays and blood tests.
Prevention
Prevention is better than cure and if care is taken, osteoporosis can be prevented. Some of the measures are:
- Healthy diet is necessary along with sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D.
- Doing weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise regularly.
- Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol
- After the age of forty, have a bone density test and take medication if necessary.
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