A silent threat has been sweeping the UK; one which (according to the BBC) is responsible for breaking 200,000 bones a year and killing 40 people a day. No, we are not referring to traffic accidents or serial killers " we are talking about osteoporosis.
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis, or fragile bone disease, refers to the process by which our bones become thinner and are prone to break more easily. The disease takes hold when the honeycomb mesh inside our bones becomes more porous, making the bones weak and fragile (particularly the hips, wrist, and spine).
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 the result of a combination of factors, but the main contributors are genetics, age, and gender. If your parents have weak bones and are prone to frequent fractures, you might be more susceptible to developing osteoporosis. Bones also tend to weaken as a natural part of the aging process, gradually losing honeycomb density, so it should come as no surprise that by the age of seventy-five, 50% of the British population suffers from some degree of osteoporosis.
While osteoporosis has often been seen as a problem of the elderly, the National Osteoporosis Society has recently acquired new research that suggests that younger people are also affected, particularly those who are underweight.
When it comes to gender, studies have shown that women are more frequently affected by osteoporosis than men as women have smaller and weaker bones. This gets further aggravated by menopause: when women undergo menopause around the age of 50, they stop producing oestrogen " a hormone which gives the bones extra protection " causing the bones to be more exposed and brittle.
Prevention
- Ensure that you receive the right nutrition early on in life
- Increase your calcium and Vitamin D intake " the vitamin D ensures that the calcium gets absorbed, contributing to healthier, stronger bones. Also reduce the amount of alcohol, caffeine, and fizzy drinks you consume, as these disrupt the calcium balance in your body.
- Take regular trips to an osteopath for checkups
Treating Osteoporosis
- Osteoporosis can be treated by a means of gentle exercises on a regular basis, but sufferers are advised not to do any heavy-duty sports
- For women who have already gone through menopause, drug treatments (i.e. hormone replacements) can be taken to encourage the production of oestrogen
- Special medicines can be taken to stop osteoporosis from developing further, so get an osteopath to give you advice on a treatment that is especially beneficial to your case and body type
While drunk drivers take more lives each year than osteoporosis does, the silent threat is responsible for many casualties. Yet as long as you manage your diet and visit an osteopath on a regular basis, you have done your part to ensure that you bones and body remain healthy. - 16004
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis, or fragile bone disease, refers to the process by which our bones become thinner and are prone to break more easily. The disease takes hold when the honeycomb mesh inside our bones becomes more porous, making the bones weak and fragile (particularly the hips, wrist, and spine).
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 the result of a combination of factors, but the main contributors are genetics, age, and gender. If your parents have weak bones and are prone to frequent fractures, you might be more susceptible to developing osteoporosis. Bones also tend to weaken as a natural part of the aging process, gradually losing honeycomb density, so it should come as no surprise that by the age of seventy-five, 50% of the British population suffers from some degree of osteoporosis.
While osteoporosis has often been seen as a problem of the elderly, the National Osteoporosis Society has recently acquired new research that suggests that younger people are also affected, particularly those who are underweight.
When it comes to gender, studies have shown that women are more frequently affected by osteoporosis than men as women have smaller and weaker bones. This gets further aggravated by menopause: when women undergo menopause around the age of 50, they stop producing oestrogen " a hormone which gives the bones extra protection " causing the bones to be more exposed and brittle.
Prevention
- Ensure that you receive the right nutrition early on in life
- Increase your calcium and Vitamin D intake " the vitamin D ensures that the calcium gets absorbed, contributing to healthier, stronger bones. Also reduce the amount of alcohol, caffeine, and fizzy drinks you consume, as these disrupt the calcium balance in your body.
- Take regular trips to an osteopath for checkups
Treating Osteoporosis
- Osteoporosis can be treated by a means of gentle exercises on a regular basis, but sufferers are advised not to do any heavy-duty sports
- For women who have already gone through menopause, drug treatments (i.e. hormone replacements) can be taken to encourage the production of oestrogen
- Special medicines can be taken to stop osteoporosis from developing further, so get an osteopath to give you advice on a treatment that is especially beneficial to your case and body type
While drunk drivers take more lives each year than osteoporosis does, the silent threat is responsible for many casualties. Yet as long as you manage your diet and visit an osteopath on a regular basis, you have done your part to ensure that you bones and body remain healthy. - 16004
About the Author:
Andrew Mitchell, clinical editor at the Osteopaths Network , writes papers about musculo-skeletal conditions, drug-free treatment, pain management and how to find a Bath osteopaths. He is interested in the treatment of back pain, neck pain and injury and pain management.
