An invisible danger has been plaguing through the UK, responsible (according to the BBC) for 40 deaths a day and 200,000 broken bones a year. We are not referring to serial killers or drunk driving; we are referring to osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis: what is it?
Osteoporosis is an illness in which our bones become thinner and more brittle. Sometimes referred to as fragile bone disease, osteoporosis occurs when the honeycomb mesh inside our bones starts developing cracks, causing the bones to weaken and break more easily (especially the spine, hips, and wrist).
It is often referred to as a silent epidemic because few people realize they have the disease, attributing their back pains to arthritis or simply old age. While this judgement isnt necessarily wrong, it is important to remember that osteoporosis is something different altogether. It causes many breaks each year, and brittle bones do not heal easily.
How is it caused?
Osteoporosis is often caused by a combination of factors, age, gender, and genetics being the most prevalent. People whose parents have weaker bones and get fractures frequently tend to be more predisposed to developing the disease than others. Our bones also naturally lose honeycomb density as part of the aging process, becoming gradually weaker; therefore it should not be surprising that 50% of the British population suffers from some form of osteoporosis by the age seventy-five.
While osteoporosis has often been associated with growing old, recent studies conducted by the National Osteoporosis Society have uncovered that the disease affects younger people as well, especially those who are underweight.
Gender is also a factor, as studies have revealed. Due to the fact that they have smaller and weaker bones than men, most cases of osteoporosis occur with females. This is also largely influenced by the onset of menopause around the age of fifty; female bones are usually protected by oestrogen, but the body stops producing this hormone during menopause, leaving the bones more brittle and exposed.
Prevention
- Ensure that you receive good nutrition early on in life.
- Getting plenty of calcium (and plenty of Vitamin D to absorb the calcium) is essential for healthy bones. Also avoid drinking too much alcohol, caffeine, and fizzy drinks " these could disrupt the calcium balance in your body.
- Get frequent checkups from an osteopath to ensure that you are in good health
How is it treated?
- Sufferers are advised not to do intense workouts" merely gentle exercises on a regular basis
- For women who have already gone through menopause, drug treatments (i.e. hormone replacements) can be taken to encourage the production of oestrogen
- Special medications can be taken to prevent osteoporosis from getting worse: so it is important to get an osteopath to advise you on a treatment that is specific to your case and body type
Automobile accidents might take more lives than osteoporosis does each year, but the latter is responsible for many casualties. As long as you main a balanced diet, however, and check-in with an osteopath on a regular basis, you can ensure that you keep your bones and body healthy. - 16004
Osteoporosis: what is it?
Osteoporosis is an illness in which our bones become thinner and more brittle. Sometimes referred to as fragile bone disease, osteoporosis occurs when the honeycomb mesh inside our bones starts developing cracks, causing the bones to weaken and break more easily (especially the spine, hips, and wrist).
It is often referred to as a silent epidemic because few people realize they have the disease, attributing their back pains to arthritis or simply old age. While this judgement isnt necessarily wrong, it is important to remember that osteoporosis is something different altogether. It causes many breaks each year, and brittle bones do not heal easily.
How is it caused?
Osteoporosis is often caused by a combination of factors, age, gender, and genetics being the most prevalent. People whose parents have weaker bones and get fractures frequently tend to be more predisposed to developing the disease than others. Our bones also naturally lose honeycomb density as part of the aging process, becoming gradually weaker; therefore it should not be surprising that 50% of the British population suffers from some form of osteoporosis by the age seventy-five.
While osteoporosis has often been associated with growing old, recent studies conducted by the National Osteoporosis Society have uncovered that the disease affects younger people as well, especially those who are underweight.
Gender is also a factor, as studies have revealed. Due to the fact that they have smaller and weaker bones than men, most cases of osteoporosis occur with females. This is also largely influenced by the onset of menopause around the age of fifty; female bones are usually protected by oestrogen, but the body stops producing this hormone during menopause, leaving the bones more brittle and exposed.
Prevention
- Ensure that you receive good nutrition early on in life.
- Getting plenty of calcium (and plenty of Vitamin D to absorb the calcium) is essential for healthy bones. Also avoid drinking too much alcohol, caffeine, and fizzy drinks " these could disrupt the calcium balance in your body.
- Get frequent checkups from an osteopath to ensure that you are in good health
How is it treated?
- Sufferers are advised not to do intense workouts" merely gentle exercises on a regular basis
- For women who have already gone through menopause, drug treatments (i.e. hormone replacements) can be taken to encourage the production of oestrogen
- Special medications can be taken to prevent osteoporosis from getting worse: so it is important to get an osteopath to advise you on a treatment that is specific to your case and body type
Automobile accidents might take more lives than osteoporosis does each year, but the latter is responsible for many casualties. As long as you main a balanced diet, however, and check-in with an osteopath on a regular basis, you can ensure that you keep your bones and body healthy. - 16004
About the Author:
Andrew Mitchell, clinical director of the Osteopath Network, writes papers about musculo-skeletal conditions and Bristol Osteopath. The Osteopath Network has more than 550 clinics located all over the UK and offers treatment at weekends and after hours.
