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Osteoporosis is also known
as porous bone or brittle bone. It generally begins without any
symptoms or pain, and is often called the "silent disease".
This silent disease is becoming a major public health threat.
In the United States alone, ten million people have osteoporosis,
eighty percent of them women. Eighteen million more people are
at risk for the disease.
People who have osteoporosis do
not usually know they have the disease until they experience a
fracture. Fractures most often occur in the wrist, hip or spine,
but they can happen in any bone of the body.
Bone is a living and growing tissue.
It is made mostly of collagen, a protein, and calcium phosphate,
a mineral. The collagen provides the bone with a soft framework
and the calcium phosphate adds strength to bone and hardens it.
This combination makes your bones strong yet flexible.
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| Women are
at a higher risk than men. As you age your risk increases.
Other risk factors include; being post-menopausal, being thin
or having a small body frame, having an inactive lifestyle,
eating a diet low in calcium and having a family history of
osteoporosis. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption also
adds to the risk of developing osteoporosis. |
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Osteoporosis is a gradual thinning
and deterioration of the bone
tissue. It strikes men as well as women. Because women are affected
more often, osteoporosis is often called a "women's disease".
It is, however, a significant threat to men as well. It can strike
at any age, although it is more common in older people. It affects
almost half of all people over the age of seventy-five. Because
of osteoporosis, 1.5 million people in the U.S. suffer some form
of fracture every year.
The good news is that osteoporosis
is preventable and treatable. The best weapon we have against
osteoporosis is knowledge and education. The following questions
and answers are designed to give you a better understanding of
the disease and what can be done to prevent it and treat it.
Q.
Who is most likely to be affected by osteoporosis?
A.
Women are at a higher risk than men. As you age your risk increases.
Other risk factors include; being post-menopausal, being thin
or having a small body frame, having an inactive lifestyle, eating
a diet low in calcium and having a family history of osteoporosis.
Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption also adds to the risk
of developing osteoporosis.
Some medications affect bone density
such as corticosteroids and anticonvulsants. A low testerone level
may put men at higher risk. When older people become less mobile
because of various health problems, osteoporosis can develop from
bone disuse.
Q.
How will osteoporosis affect me?
A.
Many people who have osteoporosis don't know they have it until
they experience a fracture. The pain of a fracture will be severe
and once you have fractured, you are at greater risk for additional
fractures. The most common fractures are vertebral, hip and forearm
fractures. Fractures can greatly limit your ability to move around
and function normally, which also puts you at a higher risk for
other complications.
Q.
How can osteoporosis be diagnosed so it can be treated without
waiting for a fracture to happen?
A.
The best method is to take a bone density test. This is a simple,
non-invasive procedure that takes about ten to fifteen minutes.
If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, there are several ways
to treat it to prevent a fracture from ever happening.
Q.
How is osteoporosis treated?
A.
In order to prevent fractures, emphasis must be made on proper
nutrition, calcium intake and physical activity. Your doctor will
prescribe either estrogen-replacement therapy (which is also taken
by many women for menopausal symptoms) or a medication specifically
designed to strengthen your bones. Men may be prescribed one of
the medications that women take, or, if their testerone level
is low, testerone-replacement therapy. For some people, certain
changes must be made in their home to prevent falls. Even if you
have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia (borderline
low bone density) it is not too late to improve your diet, increase
your calcium intake, and to begin an exercise program in order
to fortify your bones.
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| People who
have osteoporosis do not usually know they have the disease
until they experience a fracture. |
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Q.
What does estrogen-replacement therapy
have to do with my bones?
A.
Estrogen-replacement therapy, or ERT, has important benefits for
women after menopause. Besides helping to reduce symptoms of menopause
such as hot flashes, it also can play a great role in the prevention
of bone loss that occurs in the years following menopause. While
many women are prescribed ERT by their gynecologists or family
physicians, not all of them fill their prescriptions. There has
been controversy about ERT in the media that has caused certain
women to be afraid of side effects of the treatment or believe
that they do not need it. While your individual health decisions
must be made with the guidance of your own doctor, keep in mind
that in most cases the benefits of ERT greatly outweigh the drawbacks.
Q.
What about diet?
A.
The value of a healthy, balanced diet at any age should never
be underestimated. As parents, we must strive to introduce our
children to a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, dairy products,
meat and poultry, and carbohydrates such as cereals, breads and
pasta. Healthy eating will affect the strength of their bones
as they grow. Calcium in the diet is crucial for their bone health.
Calcium is found in milk, cheese, yogurts, ice cream, and also
in certain fruits, vegetables and soy products such as tofu. As
adults, we must take responsibility for our own health, and choosing
a balanced diet is a significant part of self-care. People who
eat a balanced diet have a much better chance of not developing
osteoporosis.
If you have already developed osteoporosis,
no matter how old you are you can still improve your diet. Increasing
your calcium intake will also have direct benefits to the health
of your bones. Since, when you are older, your body does not absorb
calcium from food in the same way as it did when you were young,
your doctor may recommend you take a calcium supplement. Be sure
to discuss the amount of calcium in your diet with your doctor,
so that he can decide what size supplement to prescribe.
Q.
How will exercise improve the health of my bones?
A.
Just as with diet, the significance of physical activity
is vital. The proper exercise in your youth will have a direct
effect on the strength of your bones as an adult. The truth is
that both diet and exercise are the keys to good health for every
part of your body throughout life. But if you were not particularly
active as a child, adolescent or young adult, you can begin exercising
TODAY. Even if you have already discovered that you have osteoporosis,
an exercise program will help your bones to develop strength so
that you are less likely to experience a fracture.
The best exercise for bone health
is weight bearing activity such as walking and lifting weights.
People of any age can walk for exercise and it is the easiest
and cheapest way to get in shape. Aerobic exercise such as swimming,
dancing and active sports will also improve the health of your
bones, and of your joints as well. (Keep in mind that while your
bones are working out, both your heart and your spirit will be
gaining strength at the same time.)
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| Even if
you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia (borderline
low bone density) it is not too late to improve your diet,
increase your calcium intake, and to begin an exercise program
in order to fortify your bones. |
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Q.
What is the connection between osteoporosis
and osteoarthritis?
A.
Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are two totally different medical
conditions. Because of the similarity in their names, they are
often confused. In osteoporosis there is a loss of bone tissue
that causes bones to become fragile. The term arthritis refers
to a group of conditions that affect the joints (the places where
the bones come together) and the tissues surrounding the joints.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. There are
some people who have both. The two conditions do share quite a
few methods of coping. For example, people with either or both
of the conditions benefit greatly from regular exercise.
Q.
Are there any new developments in the treatment of osteoporosis?
A.
Serious research is being done in the understanding and treatment
of osteoporosis. A hormone called PTH, parathyroid hormone, is
presently being studied as to how it increases bone mass in the
skeleton when taken in combination with estrogen.
Helpful Websites on Osteoporoosis
- National
Institute of Health (NIH) - Osteoporosis and Related Bone
Diseases National Resource Center
- Intelihealth
- Condition Center - Osteoporosis
- National
Osteoporosis Foundation a comprehensive, educational site
which includes press releases and updates about what's new in
the field of osteoporosis and its treatment. The site includes
important information for patients about medications.
- International
Osteoporosis Foundation this site brings together 106 osteoporosis
societies from sixty countries around the world. In addition
to helpful information about osteoporosis itself, the site includes
news of the activities of the I.O.F. and press releases about
the programs and projects of the I.O.F. member societies. You
can visit any of the member societies through this site.
- American
Dietetics Association
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