What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the bones in the body to become weaker and more prone to fractures.

Among women, it is much more common, but men are also often affected by this disease. The number of Americans that are affected by Osteoporosis varies depending on your source, but according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, more than 10 million Americans have Osteoporosis.

There are many things that come naturally with age and should be embraced, but Osteoporosis is not one of them. This is something that can have a very negative effect on a person, because even a simple fall can easily result in a broken bone.

Osteoporosis was first recognized by an English surgeon named Astley Cooper, during the early eighteen hundreds. He noticed that older individuals were at an increased risk of fracture due to lower bone density. Around the same time a French pathologist named Jean Lobstein recognized that this was actually a disease and is generally attributed to coining the term “Osteoporosis.”

Many years later, during the 1960’s, an endocrinologist named Fuller Albright found a link between postmenopausal women and low bone density, which helped explain why women are far more likely to contract osteoporosis.

In those that are affected by osteoporosis, the Bone Mineral Density, or BMD, is greatly reduced. Generally in women with osteoporosis the BMD will be at least 250% lower than that of a 20 year old healthy woman.

While much more common in women, osteoporosis also affects men. Commonly, men who are afflicted by chronic diseases or hormone disorders are at an increased risk. Osteoporosis can also be caused by some types of medications, including a family of steroid classified as glucocorticoids.

Those who are affected by Osteoporosis are at a much higher risk of breaking a bone. Even very low impact falls can result in a fracture, because of the greatly reduced BMD. The fall itself is generally not caused by osteoporosis and instead is as a result of things like Arthritis, Alzheimer’s, or environmental factors. This is one reason that seniors with osteoporosis are at an increased risk of injury.

Commonly, an X-ray is used to determine if an individual has osteoporosis. The person’s bone mineral density is calculated and if it is too low, they are considered to have osteoporosis. It is also possible to evaluate a person’s health and daily habits, to determine if they are likely to have osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is something that can be treated and prevented in many cases. It is important to stay active and eat healthily. Taking vitamins is extremely important, more so as a person ages.

Calcium and Vitamin D are the two most important vitamins that should be taken daily. However, Vitamin D can increase the risk of developing a kidney stone, so make certain to consult your doctor to determine a healthy vitamin regiment. Often, simply eating healthily can supply sufficient levels of calcium and vitamin D.

Those that have osteoporosis must be extremely careful. A fractured hip or broken bone can be very taxing on the body. For seniors, this type of injury is even harder to overcome.

Taking care to reduce the risk of environmental falls is very important. This means using a walker if necessary and investing in a good pair of shoes. Since many accidents happen on the stairs, investing in a lifting aid, like a stair lift, might be a good idea.

There are many medications available to help treat osteoporosis. It is a good idea to talk with your doctor about osteoporosis and find out what you can do to prevent it.