Osteoporosis means weak or
brittle bones. Our bones undergo a gradual renewal process over the years. When
we are young this decay and regeneration process goes faster and the lost
amount of bone gets cover up faster than the breaking down process through new
bone buildup. So, at the age of 30 our bone mass density remains at the peak.
But gradually the speed of regeneration slows down but the bone mass loss
continues hence gradually the bones become weak and brittle. In this line if
the bone mass density becomes too low then it is medically termed as osteoporosis.
In this condition our bones can get fractured very easily along with causing other
physical problems.
Symptoms
The visible symptoms of
osteoporosis aren’t many. Our loved seniors even may not realize that they have
osteoporosis until they get fractured and then tested. However, early signs can
be noticed in the form of back pain and changes in the posture. Another symptom
of osteoporosis that occurs much later in the development is decreased height.
Causes
Declining age is the main cause
of osteoporosis. In the senior years the speed of bone breakdown far exceeds
the speed of new bone buildup. This is the reason for which the bone mass
density decreases significantly and causes osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is more prevalent in
women than in men. It is often considered as a ‘women's disease’. This is
because the bone density of women are lesser than men and after menopause the
bone loss occurs much faster in women. That’s why around 80% of people
suffering from osteoporosis in America are women.
Risk factors
There are some risk factors for
osteoporosis that you can control and there are some that you can’t. Among the
risk factors that you can’t control are age, sex, ethnicity and heredity.
Another such uncontrollable risk factor is having a small bodily frame. Whites
and Asians are seen to get osteoporosis more than the seniors of other racial
descent. Apart from these some other health condition like type 1 diabetes, inflammatory
bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and some hormonal disorders can also be
risk factors for developing osteoporosis.
And the risk factors that you can
control mostly belongs to the way you lead your life. Smoking, leading an
inactive life, following an irregular diet containing low amount of calcium and
vitamin D, excessive drinking all these can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis
through increasing the amount of bone loss as you age.
Treatment
There are multiple treatment
options available in case your senior loved ones are diagnosed with osteoporosis.
First option is to prescribe bone boosting drugs containing bisphosphonate.
This will help decrease the bone loss and build new bone mass. Bisphosphonates
can be taken either by mouth or through injections but comes with some
significant kinds of side effects.
Other treatment options include
hormone therapy and antibody injection. But all these alternatives have their
own share of unavoidable side effects.
So, in such condition the best
possible option would be to remain aware of it from the very early childhood so
that you can maintain the healthy amount of calcium and vitamin D from the very
beginning up to the age of 30. This way your bone bank will be full and the
gradual bone loss will never reach the point where it can be diagnosed as
osteoporosis.
Bone Building Foods
Foods that are rich in calcium
and vitamin D are the bone building foods. Milk is the first priority. Then you
can have fish like salmon, tuna, herring etc. You have to add some leafy green
vegetables into your diet. Vegetables also provide magnesium that improves the
bone quality. Another such calcium fortified foods are cereals and orange
juice. Whereas, it is always a good idea to avoid foods that decrease the
absorption of calcium in the body.
Exercise
The importance of exercise in
case of osteoporosis management, treatment and prevention is essential.
Exercise keeps the bones in good condition and helps the treatment process of
building new and strong bones.
Exercises that involves bearing
your whole body weight are the most favorable. Exercises like walking, jogging,
running, playing tennis etc. Using small weights while exercising the various
body parts also help in this regard. Research have found that women who walk
one mile every day have four to seven years of added bone reserve.
Yoga, tai-chi can be a great way
to improve balance but some postures involving too much bend or stretch should
be carefully avoided in such situations.
Fall Prevention
While living with osteoporosis
even a bit of pressure on the bones can cause fracture. In severe cases there
are records of getting fractured just by coughing. So, whenever your loved one
is diagnosed with osteoporosis the first thing that you should do is to make
the surroundings totally fall proof. Contact Comfort Keepers Silicon Valley we have proven
techniques and methods for fall prevention.
Always remember that it is never
too late to care for your bones. No matter at whatever age you are right now,
start right away!
Start having the right amount of
healthy diet, have regular physical exercise- as much as you can- even if you
can just walk with the help of a walker then do that, and avoid the negative
habits that are active risk factors for osteoporosis. This way you can very
well live a healthy, happy and independent life in your senior years with
osteoporosis.
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