- What is osteoporosis?
- What causes osteoporosis?
- Can you prevent osteoporosis?
- What are warning signs of osteoporosis?
- How can you treat osteoporosis?
The National Osteoporosis Foundation reports 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bone. 34 million suffer from low bone mass, or osteopenia, which is the precursor to osteoporosis. Another 54 million Americans aged 50 and up are at risk of breaking a bone. There are 3 warning signs you may have osteoporosis, but first it’s important to understand what the disease is and what causes it.
What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak, brittle, and break. When the disease is advanced, even simple everyday activities such as coughing or falling could cause a fracture. It’s a common disease in the elderly and a huge health risk.
To understand the disease, start first with the living tissue that is your bone structure. Throughout your life your bones are constantly changing, as cells dissolve and new cells grow. Young people build new bones faster than the old bone cells die. This increases your bone mass, but as you age, this process slows down. When an old bone isn’t replaced quickly it becomes brittle and can break. That is osteoporosis.
What Causes Osteoporosis?
The simple act of growing old can lead to osteoporosis. A diet low in calcium can also contribute to the disease. Bones need the minerals calcium and phosphorus to grow. Calcium is also important for the bones, heart, and muscles to remain strong. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, among many other important benefits.
For women, estrogen deficiency can contribute to osteoporosis. As women age, the estrogen hormone drops. Even younger women can experience a loss of bone density if they stop menstruating, have anorexia, or experience surgical removal of the ovaries. Men can also get osteoporosis. Low testosterone can contribute, which commonly occurs when men get older.
Other diseases can also cause osteoporosis, such as cystic fibrosis, thyroid disease, or tumors. Some surgeries, including gastric bypass, can weaken your body’s ability to absorb calcium, which could contribute to weak bones.
Can You Prevent Osteoporosis?
A healthy diet and steady exercise help prevent osteoporosis. Doing these four things every day may also improve your bone health:
- Supplement your diet with calcium and vitamin D
- Conduct muscle strengthening exercises
- Avoid smoking and drinking
- Talk to your doctor about a bone density test and osteoporosis medication, should you need it
Increasing calcium intake by eating more green leafy vegetables, drinking low-fat milk, eating cheese, consuming soy products like tofu, or even calcium-fortified orange juice. Staying active and taking care of yourself will help prevent potential bone problems later in life.
What Are Warning Signs You May have Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is called “the silent disease,” because you likely won’t know you have the disorder until you break a bone. In the early stages, there are few signs of a problem. However, when osteoporosis sets in and your bones have already weakened, watch for these three signs:
- A hunched or stooped posture or even a loss of height
- Back pain
- Breaking a hip during an activity or fall that should not warrant a break
In fact, sometimes a fracture can occur without falling, and your spinal vertebrae can grow so weak that it breaks.
Seeing your doctor regularly and receiving bone density scanning as you grow older will help spot osteoporosis before the break occurs. If you’ve been diagnosed, what are the options for treatment?
How Can You Treat Osteoporosis?
The first step is to have your doctor measure bone density with a low-level X-ray. This painless and non-invasive test can help your doctor create a treatment protocol. If the disease has progressed, you may need medication. Diet, exercise, and vitamins may be enough if you catch the disease early.