Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

General
- One of the main factors triggering Osteoporosis is decreasing bone density after age 35, especially accelerated in women after menopause;
- Osteoporosis is an increase in bone fragility and risk of fracture;
- Unfortunately, osteoporosis has no symptoms, until the fracture itself, but can be identified by X-ray and confirmed by measuring bone density;
- Risk factors: besides lack of exercise, osteoporosis may be due to a genes including family cases of osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, or fracture as an adult, intensive smoking, alcohol consumption and lack of calcium and vitamin D.

Osteoporosis is characterized by decreased bone density and bone structure transformation into a spongy structure, like a sponge, which gives cause fragility and fractures.
Bone strength and stability is given by composition: protein, collagen and calcium. If an imbalance can occur fractures, the most common areas affected are: spine, hips, ribs, wrists, although osteoporosis fractures can occur in almost any bone in the body. Fractures can be of two types: in the form of rupture (hip fracture) or compaction (vertebrae).
Osteoporosis
Symptoms:
Unfortunately, osteoporosis can be installed without being detected many years, the first signs are only painful fractures.
Column fractures lead to the installation of painful belt areas as pain radiating from the spine to the back side. Compaction vertebrae can cause chronic condition and sometimes, depending on the positioning of affected vertebrae can occur so called "hump", but because installation time, this condition is most visible in the elderly.

What are the consequences of osteoporosis:
Besides pain, osteoporosis contributes significantly to decreasing quality of everyday life and can even lead to long-term disabilities.
Older people may be affected later both pneumonia and pulmonary embolism (blood clots, set in different areas can detach and migrate to the lungs) due to the need for treatment "in bed".
Osteoporosis is a very important condition that should not be ignored as it can lead to death directly, or indirectly through certain fractures.

Determinants of bone density:
Bone density is determined generally by genetic factors, but can be influenced decisively and environmental factors and medication.
Normally, bone density accumulates in copialrie until around the age of 25 years, followed by a maintenance period of about 10 years.
After the age of 35 years both women and men tend to lose between 0. 3% -0. 5% per year in bone density. The news is worse for women because after menopause, these percentages increase to 2% -4% per year due to plummeting estrogen levels.
Osteoporosis
What is the treatment for osteoporosis and how to prevent the condition:
The main purpose is to prevent fractures and lower bone density. Unfortunately there is no complete treatment, in other words it is extremely difficult to rebuild bone structure once it has been affected by osteoporosis. Early detection of the disease can greatly facilitate patient because there are many factors that can slow the progression of osteoporosis:
- Quitting smoking and alcohol consumption;
- Regular exercise carefully the types of exercise recommended for each patient, depending on age and health status;
- Food consumption with increased intake of calcium and vitamin D;
- Use of prescription drugs-in-the stop loss and tone density bone structure.