Osteoporosis - Cause, Symptoms & Treatment

 

The most common of all bone disorders, osteoporosis is a syndrome in which the body loses too many bones or produces too little bone or both. As a result of which bones become brittle, fragile, and prone to fracture. Osteoporosis is known as a silent disease because it doesn’t cause any symptoms until a bone break. It can happen suddenly without any apparent cause. It is the weakening of the bones which makes them vulnerable to fracture even with slight trauma. Bone loss contributes to decreased balance, posture, and overall mobility. The causes of osteoporosis include genetics and family history, sex (female), excess body weight, gender (female), age, smoking, alcohol, sedentary lifestyle, and race.

Symptoms

In the early stages of bone deterioration, there are usually no signs. However, after your bones have been affected by osteoporosis, you can experience the following signs and symptoms:

• A broken or collapsed vertebra causes back pain.

• Height loss over time

• Stooping position

• A bone that is much more easily broken than intended

Causes

Your bones are constantly being renewed, with new bone being formed and old bone is broken down. Your body makes new bones quicker than it breaks down old bones when you're young, so your bone mass increases. This phase slows after the early twenties, and most people hit their peak bone mass before the age of thirty. Bone mass is destroyed quicker than it is produced when people age.

How likely you are to develop osteoporosis is partially determined by how much bone mass you had as a child. Peak bone mass is inherited to some extent and varies by ethnic group. The more bone you have "in the vault," the less likely you are to experience osteoporosis as you get older.

Risk factor

Your age, race, lifestyle habits, and medical conditions, and medications are all factors that can raise your risk of developing osteoporosis.

Some risk factors for osteoporosis, however, are beyond your influence, such as:

• Gender, Women are much more likely than men to have osteoporosis.

• Age is a factor, the risk of osteoporosis increases as you grow older.

• The race is a subject that has a lot of if you're white or Asian, you're more likely to develop osteoporosis.

• History of the family, you're more likely to get osteoporosis if you have a parent or sibling that has it, particularly if your mother or father has had a hip fracture.

• Width of the body structure. Men and women with narrow body frames are at a greater risk because they may have the fewer bone density to rely on as they get older.

Treatment

If your testing shows that you have osteoporosis, your doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan. Your doctor will likely prescribe medications as well as lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes can include increasing your intake of calcium and vitamin D, as well as getting appropriate exercise. While osteoporosis has no cure, proper care will help to preserve and improve the bones. These therapies can help delay the deterioration of bone in your body, and some can also stimulate new bone formation.