What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is the medical word for bone loss. By osteoporosis weaken bones and break them faster. This in itself is not a disease. It's part of getting older. Around the thirtieth year the bones are strongest. Then they slowly become less strong. In old age gets everyone, man or woman, eventually osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis can even occur in a younger person. This happens especially in women after menopause. During the transition makes the body for much less estrogen. This hormone is important for the development of new bone tissue. After the transition is osteoporosis so quickly. This is especially a problem when a woman becomes early menopause.
Sometimes osteoporosis a disease. An example of the bone disease is osteogenesis imperfecta. People with this disease have a very young osteoporosis. Furthermore, osteoporosis can occur in diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, anorexia nervosa, cirrhosis and prolonged use of certain medications such as corticosteroids.
Causes of osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is in the first place by age. Almost everyone will eventually suffer from. Certain things make osteoporosis worse:
- Too little exercise.
- Too little calcium (lime). Calcium is mainly found in dairy products, vegetables, nuts and legumes.
- Lots of smoking and drinking.
- Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium from food. It is among others in margarine, butter, milk, eggs and fatty fish. Your body also makes vitamin D itself when you are out in the sun. Come little outside or you have dark skin? Then maybe you need extra vitamin D.
- Certain medications, such as corticosteroids.
- Osteoporosis can also run in families.
The risk of osteoporosis increases as are removed from a woman's ovaries and it is early menopause. Women who have never been pregnant have a higher risk of osteoporosis.
What are the signs and symptoms of osteoporosis
In osteoporosis, bones become gradually weaker. This will give no problems in the beginning. If further weaken the bones, you may suffer from bone pain. You may also have constant back pain. That's because even weaken the vertebrae. The vertebrae in the lower result. This pain is worse when standing or walking. Often, the pain will disappear within a couple of months away. Some people get scoliosis (curved spine).
Another consequence of osteoporosis is that the bones to break more quickly. In a small fall can break in a bone. Often it takes a long time before the bone has healed, especially in elderly people with osteoporosis. The bones that break most often in osteoporosis are the wrist, spine and hip.
How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
Your doctor will examine you and ask about your first physical symptoms. Then they measure your bone mass. There are various methods. An example is DEXA. This is a safe and painless test that in about a quarter measures the bone density. It is a kind of X-ray. Maybe the doctor leaves also make an ordinary X-ray.
Find the doctor osteoporosis in a young person, then examine them or osteoporosis caused by a disease.
What is the treatment for osteoporosis?
Previously swallow people against osteoporosis hormones (estrogens, sometimes along with progestin). But women who use these hormones for a long time, have 66% more likely to breast cancer. That is why doctors prescribe them prefer not to. For some women, hormones may be still be suitable. Your doctor will discuss this with you.
In older men with osteoporosis extra testosterone helps sometimes. But this has nasty side effects: breast growth, worsening of any prostate cancer and you, a lot of moisture retention. That is why doctors prescribe hormones in men prefer not to.
SERM is a medication for osteoporosis in women. SERM is a substance that is similar to estrogen, but which has no effect on the breasts. The product is only suitable for women who have experienced menopause. You have to take tablets every day and often calcium and vitamin D. If side effects you may experience hot flashes and leg cramps.
A treatment for osteoporosis without hormones are bisphosphonates. This treatment is suitable for men and women. Bisphosphonates may cause side effects such as mild stomach pain, nausea or mild diarrhea.
People who have osteoporosis or have chances, should adhere to certain rules. Make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D intake. Also provide enough exercise.