Osteoporosis

General Information on Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition in which the density of the bones gradually decreases causing the bones to become weak and brittle increasing the risk of fractures. Bones naturally contain minerals like calcium and phosphorus. These minerals make bones dense and strong. In order to maintain health strong bones, the body needs an adequate supply of these minerals. Without the proper amount of these minerals, the bone density decreases causing osteoporosis. There are two types of osteoporosis. The two main types of osteoporosis are primary and secondary osteoporosis. Primary osteoporosis is spontaneous where as secondary osteoporosis is caused by other diseases and disorders. Secondary osteoporosis is much rarer than primary osteoporosis and only affects about six percent of those with osteoporosis. Primary osteoporosis can manifest in three different forms. These forms are postmenopausal osteoporosis, senile osteoporosis, and idiopathic osteoporosis. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is caused by a lack of the hormone estrogen in the body. Senile osteoporosis is caused by a lack of calcium or vitamin D in the body and the new bone formation’s inability to keep up with the rate of natural bone breakdown. Idiopathic osteoporosis is osteoporosis that has no known cause.

Symptoms of Osteoporosis

Some of the symptoms of osteoporosis may be:

Bone fractures – including vertebral crush factures
Collapsing bones
Bone pain
Bone deformities
Chronic back pain
Dowager’s hump – an abnormal curvature of the spine
Muscle pain
Fractures that heal slowly

Treatments For Osteoporosis

The treatment for osteoporosis is aimed at increasing the bone density and strengthening the bones. One type of treatment for osteoporosis is hormone therapy. Hormone therapy once was the main form of treatment for osteoporosis, but due to health concerns the use of this form of treatment has lessened. Another form of treatment is prescription medications. Some medications used in treating osteoporosis are biophosphonates (which is similar to estrogen), raloxifene (which is an estrogen receptor modulator medication), calcitonin (which is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland), teriparatide (which is similar to parathyroid hormone), and tamoxifen (which is a synthetic hormone). One other form of treatment is a form of physical therapy that combines spinal weighted kypho-othosis and back extension exercises.

Personal Experience

Osteoporosis - personal experiences