The Bare Bones on Osteoporosis
Sunday, February 4th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Today’s women face a multitude of health risks, but among the most prevalent is a condition called osteoporosis. An excessive loss of calcium causes this disease, and results in bones that become brittle and easily fractured.
Who is Prone to Osteoporosis?
Some men are at risk of developing osteoporosis, but the disease is most often found in women. Women over the age of forty are most likely to develop the disease, following the onset of menopause. Women naturally produce less estrogen during and after menopause, and because estrogen helps our bodies to retain calcium, it is instrumental in keeping bones strong. It’s important for women to supplement their calcium intake in order to retain their bone density during, and after, menopause.
Men may also be affected by osteoporosis, but the number of men afflicted with the condition is generally much lower than the rate in which the disease affects women. This is partly due to the fact that men tend to have more bone mass than women. However, the normal aging process can cause osteoporosis to develop in men, as well as women.
Females of menopausal age already fall into the most prominent risk group for developing osteoporosis. Caucasian women seem to be at a higher risk. Osteoporosis also tends to affect individuals with lessened muscular activity. Being underweight can also be a contributing factor, so those with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia can be more likely to develop the disease. Finally, a family history of osteoporosis presents a major risk factor. If you know that osteoporosis runs in your family, make positive lifestyle changes now to help prevent the condition from developing.
How is Osteoporosis Diagnosed?
Early diagnosis and subsequent preliminary treatments can be tricky, because many people don’t realize they have osteoporosis until they suffer from some kind of injury. It’s not unusual for patients to suffer from a bone fracture before they even realize that they have the disease.
However, changes in modern women’s health care are making it possible to detect the disease in its early stages, and even prevent osteoporosis altogether. New advances in bone scanning make it possible for doctors to test the bone density of their patients. With early detection and treatment, the progress of osteoporosis can be slowed or even stopped before too much damage is done.
If you feel that you are at risk of developing osteoporosis, there are steps that you can take. The first and most important step is to discuss your symptoms and concerns with your doctor or healthcare professional. He or she will take a full medical history and ask you to undergo a complete physical exam. If you appear to be at risk for developing osteoporosis, your doctor should assess your thyroid levels, test for forms of arthritis and order a blood test analysis to check your calcium levels.
Your doctor may also take X-rays to view your bone density. A bone marrow densitometer is a special machine that allows specialists to see inside your bones. It’s an accurate and painless way to measure bone density, and it can help your doctor to determine whether you may be at risk for developing osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is one of the most common forms of arthritis in the United States. Fortunately, increased education and public attention has led to a greater awareness of the condition. Now, more than ever before, women are able to fully understand the importance of preventing osteoporosis, and have greater knowledge of the treatment options available.
About the Author:
Author Sheila Ffloyd is a contributor to a variety of popular Internet sites, on healthy living and healthy body issues. You are welcome to reprint this article - but get your own unique content version here.
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