Osteoporosis
With numbers estimating that a third of all women and a twelfth of all men over the age of fifty suffer from osteoporosis and the danger attributed with the bone disease, it is very apparent that it is something that should be taken very seriously. The treatment options available offer no complete cure of the disease; they just help manage the disease. Having a good knowledge of preventative means to combating osteoporosis to earlier in life should be kept in mind.
Bone fractures pose a very dangerous risk to those who are suffering from osteoporosis. It is very common that those in their later years in life and suffering from chronic and debilitating acute pain, frequently have that pain because of past fractures from osteoporosis. This is unfortunate because this chronic pain can often times lead to further disability and an early mortality.
The risks of vertebral collapse can cause extreme shooting back pain. When several vertebral fractures occur the sufferer will develop a stooped posture, a loss of height and chronic pain which reduces mobility.
There are very serious dangers that come from fractures of the long bones. These will usually require surgery and decreased mobility. A hip fracture for example typically requires surgery very soon after the fracture occurs. Deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and an increased mortality rate can occur if it is not treated soon after.
The best prevention for osteoporosis comes from a change in lifestyle. Altering you’re your diet to ensure nutrition is what it should be is essential. Adequate vitamin D and calcium intake can make a big difference in preventing fractures. Couple the nutrition with exercise like jogging, walking or climbing stairs at three quarters of maximum effort three times a week with 1,500 mg of calcium each day over nine months will increase the bone density in your lumbar by five percent.
There are medications available that can help for those with a high risk of osteoporosis. Bisphosphonate is used for direct treatment as well as raloxifene, which is a selective estrogen receptor modulator. Estrogen replacement for women is a time tested treatment for prevention of osteoporosis, but there is debate in the medical community if it should be recommended to women within their first decade post menopause. Men have shown improvements in quality bone mass after take testosterone.
Treatment of osteoporosis will vary depending on gender but typically consists of medications falling under the classification of antiresorptive or bone anabolic agents. Antiresorptive agents work against osteoporosis by decreasing bone degradation. Anabolic agents are focused on the opposite as antiresorptive s and target building bone mass. A change in lifestyle is a large part of treatment which can be difficult as fifty percent of patients do not even begin taking their medication and most of those that do, discontinue in the first year. Exercise and nutrition also need to be modified under a physician’s care to prevent further issues.
Osteoporosis reaches an incredibly large portion of the world’s population. Taking note and enacting preventative means against the disease can prevent injury and chronic pain caused by this bone disease later in life. The treatments cannot reverse the effects of osteoporosis so taking note and making changes early on are the best ways to deal with it.
