Osteoporosis - Brittle Bone Disease - The Causes Treatments and Prevention

Osteoporosis is frequently referred to as brittle bone disease, which simply means that you have thin bones. It is not typically a painful condition however pain is frequently experienced only when you break an infected bone.

Given osteoporosis has no visible symptoms and doesn't present any pain it is more than feasible that you could have this brittle bone disease without knowing it. In the vast majority of cases individuals only discover they have the condition following a relatively minor fall resulting in a spell in hospital with a broken bone.

The condition is typically diagnosed using a special scan called the dexa scan. This type of scan is most effective given ordinary x-rays will not reveal signs of osteoporosis until such time as the disease is in its very advanced stage.

There are several groups of individuals who are a risk of contracting osteoporosis and these factors can include;

1. Being a smoker

2. Taking no weight bearing exercise

3. A family history of osteoporosis

4. Being Caucasian or Asian

5. Experiencing an early menopause

6. Excessive alcohol consumption

7. Taking steroid medication

8. Disproportionate weight to height

9. The removal of your ovaries

10. The cessation of periods of six months or more (excluding pregnancy)

There are in addition to this several medical conditions which make individuals more susceptible to osteoporosis. These include rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease and any other condition which affects the ability of the body to absorb nutrients such as calcium which are of course essential for your healthy bones.

To help prevent osteoporosis ensure that you eat a rich diet full of calcium and undertake regular weight bearing exercise such as walking, dancing and jogging. Also try to maintain a healthy body weight and if you smoke, consider giving up now. Do not consume alcohol to excessive levels and avoid any gassy drinks given they interfere with the absorption of the body in terms of calcium.

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Osteoporosis - Bone Up On Treatments For Both Women And Men

Lost some of your backbone? If so, you may not even know it.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, bone loss, in its initial stages, can occur without causing symptoms.

Such was the case for me. My wake-up call, however, came 16 years ago, at the age of 50, when I discovered that I had fractured three ribs, without ever knowing how. I had also lost four inches in height.

A bone density test, or DEXA scan, revealed osteoporosis.

"Osteoporosis is a life-threatening disease" says endocrinologist Dr. Dan Wood, of the Mid Coast Medical Group in Bath, Maine.

"As many women die of hip fractures, as die of breast cancer," he says.

But the problem is not limited to women. Every year, 80,000 men suffer a hip fracture, and unfortunately, one-third of these men die within a year, according to information released by the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

Indeed, one in eight men, as well as one in two women over 50 risk suffering an osteoporosis-related fracture, says Dr. Ingrid Eriksson, director of the Central Maine Osteoporosis Center at the Central Maine Medical Facility, Lewiston, Maine.

Despite these alarming statistics, medical developments suggest that osteoporosis may be preventable and treatable in both women and men. For example, the prescription medication, Fosamax, which was approved for treatment of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women in 1995, has been approved for treatment in men.

Recent studies, however, have indicated that there may be problems with taking this drug related to loss of jaw bone, so check with your doctor first about this new development.

Another drug which offers more protection for people who have already have had several broken bones, is the prescription, Forteo, a daily injection of PTH, or Parathyroid Hormone. Forteo can reduce fractures by up to 70 percent, according to my endocrinologist, Dr. David G. Robertson, Atlanta, Georgia. In fact, I am now taking these injections because Fosamax did not work for me.

"These medications are not about making you young again," says Dr. Eriksson. "They are about giving you your independence." And isn't that what all of us want?

For more information, go to the National Osteoporosis Foundation website: www.nof.org. The book, Strong Women, Strong Bones by Miriam E. Nelson is also excellent.

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