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Understanding osteoporosis

Make no bones about it: healthy bones are essential for a healthy body. However, over time, your body may lose bone mass faster than it’s able to rebuild it—or it simply does not make enough. When more bone is lost than gets replaced, you can develop a disease called osteoporosis, which can leave your bones fragile, brittle, and breakable. This is a bone-chilling thought, but you don’t have to live with the loss. Take some time to build up your knowledge of osteoporosis, its prevalence, your risk for it, and the signs of weak bones. Then, discover the most effective treatment options.

The bare bones of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that makes your bones weaker, thinner, and more likely to break. Your bones may seem dense and solid, but your body breaks down old bone and replaces it with new bone on a regular basis to keep your bones healthy and strong. This bone-building process slows down naturally and substantially as you age.

The disease occurs when the breakdown of old bone exceeds the creation of new. Osteoporosis literally means “porous bone” because the interior of your bones become more porous due to a lack of essential minerals, like calcium, as you age. The disease can make your bones so fragile that they fracture from practically anything, from a minor fall or a mild bump to even a simple sneeze. Fractures can happen to almost any bone, but they tend to affect the hips, wrists, and spine most often.

Density of the disease

Imagine being worried that a slight slip, trip, or tumble could cause you to break a bone. This is what life is like for more than 10 million people over age 50 in the United States living with osteoporosis, along with the 44 million others who are at high risk of developing the disease. While osteoporosis doesn’t discriminate, affecting both men and women of all ages and ethnicities, around 80% of those afflicted are women.

Bone up on your risk

Many things can raise your risk of developing osteoporosis, with some occurring naturally, others genetically, and a few unintentionally. Some are out of your control, but others give you the opportunity to change your ways and improve your bones. You need to be aware of your risk so you can protect yourself and avoid future fractures. Some of the main risk factors of osteoporosis include:

Gender – Osteoporosis is more common in women than in men.
Age – Bone loss gets faster and new growth is slower as you get older.
Low body weight – Thin, slim-boned women and men have less bone mass, which puts them at a higher risk.
Family history – Having others in your family with osteoporosis can raise your risk.
Diet low in calcium and vitamin D – Your bones need certain nutrients to stay healthy and strong, especially calcium to build new bone mass and vitamin D to help your body absorb it.
Certain medications – Some cancer medications, seizure medicines, and hormone treatments can weaken your bones.
Alcohol – Excessive drinking can increase your risk.
History of an eating disorder – Maintaining a low weight and restricting nutrients can affect the strength of your bones.

Breaking the silence of symptoms

Osteoporosis can sneak up on you. It’s called a “silent” disease because it doesn’t have any symptoms during the earliest stages. You may not even know you have osteoporosis until you suddenly break a bone. Over time, you may notice pain for no reason, develop a hunched posture, or lose some of your height. Speak to your CarolinaMD-affiliated doctor if you suddenly fracture a bone or start experiencing any of these troubles, so you can be screened for osteoporosis.

Strong osteoporosis treatments

When it comes to osteoporosis, detection is protection. All it takes is a low-radiation X-ray that measures the density of your bones. This can determine if you have osteoporosis and predict your future risk. If you’re diagnosed with the disease, there are several treatment options, including:

Changing your diet to include foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, such as low-fat dairy, salmon, and sardines with bones, leafy green vegetables, and calcium-fortified foods.
Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements.
Using certain medications.
Doing weight-bearing and strength-training exercises to build bone mass and improve balance.
Avoiding smoking and secondhand smoke.
Only drinking in moderation.

Stand up and protect yourself from osteoporosis with these ideas and insights to keep your bones growing and going strong.

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