Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes bone weakness.
It occurs when the body loses too much bone or produces too little bone. The disorder affects nearly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men in Canada over 50 years old.
It causes more than 8.9 million fractures annually around the world.
The word “oosteoporosi” means porous bone and bone tissue often has large spaces when viewed under the microscope. Patients suffer from compromised bone strength and low bone density. Bones to become more fragile and more likely to fracture or break.
Some general characteristics of osteoporosis
Patients most commonly suffer from wrist fractures, hip fractures, and fractures of spinal bones.
Pain is usually uncommon until a fracture occurs, though some fractures may cause long-term pain, especially fractures of the spinal bones. The condition causes some patients to lose height or develop a hunched posture.
Hip fractures in older patients result in death within one year in about 20% of cases.
This is a costly disease, and experts estimate that costs associated with managing the disease will rise to $2.4 billion by 2041.
Research into medicinal and natural osteoporosis treatment options is ongoing.
What causes it?
Several factors may increase the risk of developing osteoporosis. Age, sex, weight, and other medical issues can all contribute.
Women are more at risk of than men, especially after menopause as bone loss will occur more quickly.
Peak bone mass usually occurs at 30 years of age, after which gradual bone loss is natural. Women have a lower peak bone mass than men and lose bone more rapidly than men.
Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals also accelerate bone loss.
Many other factors such as medication, medical history, and family history can increase the risk of osteoporosis. Hormonal conditions, malabsorption problems, and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis may contribute to the loss of bone mass.
Osteoporosis that results from another medical condition is called secondary osteoporosis. Long-term use of certain medications, use of alcohol, and smoking can also affect bone strength.
In addition, a low body mass index, calculated by weight and height, can increase the risk of the disease.
How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
Osteoporosis is often left undiagnosed as patients cannot feel bones weakening. Several tools are used to detect osteoporosis. A DEXA (DXA) scan is used to measure bone mineral density, which helps to determine bone strength.
Low bone density not classified as osteoporosis may indicate osteopenia, a common precursor to osteoporosis. Doctors often recommend treatments for osteopenia depending on the risk of fracture.
X-rays are also useful for detecting fractures in at-risk patients.
The goals of treatment for osteoporosis involve treating bone fractures, reducing the risk of fractures, increasing bone strength, and minimizing hazards such as falling.
Along with medication, it is important to make lifestyle changes.
