The definition of osteoporosis is the loss of bone density (how strong your bones are) and also the thinning of bone tissue.

This disease occurs in both men and women, women typically in their post-menopausal years and men much later, in their seventies.

It is estimated that almost 1 out of 5 women fifty years of age or older will have osteoporosis. Then, about fifty percent of those women will have a fracture of some type in the wrist, vertebra (spine) or the hip.

Two important, essential minerals that assist with bone formation are phosphate and calcium. When we are young, you use these minerals to create bones. If your body does not absorb, or if you don’t create enough calcium from the food you eat, you may not make enough bone tissue or produce enough bone matter.

When we get older, our bodies may absorb too much of the phosphate and calcium and our bones may suffer. This usually happens over time and unfortunately, there are no symptoms to let you know your bones are weaker until they become weak enough to break. Sometimes it takes a broken bone to alert you that you could have osteoporosis. By that time, osteoporosis could be in advanced stages.

The biggest reason for a drop in bone density is loss of estrogen in women. This usually happens at menopause. For men a reduction in testosterone can negatively impact bone density. For men over 70 and women over 50 the risk is higher.

There are other causes of osteoporosis. They include a vitamin D deficiency. This can be discovered with a blood test. Hyperparathyroidism, which also would need a blood test to discover, can cause osteoporosis. So can taking steroids for a long period of time (3 months or longer). Chronic diseases such as kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis or eating disorders like bulimia and anexoria can also be a factor in osteoporosis.

Caucasian women with a strong family history of osteoporosis usually have a higher risk of developing it but other causes are drinking larger amounts of alcohol, hormone treatments for breast cancer, low weight or not having periods on a regular basis all are risk factors.

In the early stages of osteoporosis there are no symptoms to tell you that you have it, but later when the disease is more advanced you might have discovered you shrunk, some can lose as much as 6 inches. Low and consistent back pain is a symptom, really poor posture (what some call a dowager’s hump), fractures that are not painful; all these are symptoms of osteoporosis.

The tests that your doctor can order to discover your bone density are called a bone mineral density test, and they are not painful at all. Occasionally a spine CT is used. It might be that certain blood tests will be taken if your doctor thinks you need them.

There are several drugs used for treatment of osteoporosis, two that are oral pills that are taken monthly and there is another drug taken intravenously but it is not taken monthly.

Steps you can take to prevent damage to and even repair your bones start with eating the proper foods, like leafy green vegetables, sardines with the bones in, cheese and ice cream, salmon, yogurt, tofu and low fat milk.

Exercise is also a great way to prevent bone breakage, riding a stationary bicycle, tai chi and yoga for balance, walking, playing tennis, jogging, dancing also using weights, free weights, weight machines at your gym, resistance bands. Make sure you tell your doctor about your exercise plan, so that you know what you’re doing is good for you, and make sure you take care not to fall.

Taking the steps to help you prevent osteoporosis – proper food and exercise, are things that everyone should do anyway. These actions not only fight off and help correct osteoporosis, but a host of other illnesses as well. And, be comforted in the fact that if you do happen to get the disease, there are things you can do to help keep your bones stronger longer.

The Orthopaedic & Spinal Center is a orthopedic medical practice which provides pain relief and orthopaedic services to patients of all ages.

The Orthopaedic & Spinal Center (http://www.osc-ortho.com/) is a orthopedic medical practice which provides pain relief and orthopaedic services to patients of all ages. http://www.osc-ortho.com/services/services.html

Author Bio: The Orthopaedic & Spinal Center is a orthopedic medical practice which provides pain relief and orthopaedic services to patients of all ages.

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