Osteoporosis

Definition

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder and the rate of bone r- sorption accelerates while the rate of bone formation slows, then it may cause loss of bone mass. If you have this disease, then affected bones lose calcium and phosphate salts and become porous, brittle, and abnormally vulnerable to fractures. It may be primary or secondary such as Cushing's syndrome or hyperthyroidism. But it primarily affects the weight-bearing vertebrae. Primary osteoporosis is often known as postmenopausal osteoporosis because it most commonly develops in postmenopausal women.

Causes of Osteoporosis

The cause of primary osteoporosis is unknown, but it may be occur due to various factors such as:

• Mild but prolonged negative calcium balance due to inadequate dietary intake of calcium
• Declining gonadal and adrenal function
• Faulty protein metabolism due to relative or progressive estrogen deficiency
• Sedentary lifestyle.

The many causes of secondary osteoporosis include:

• Prolonged therapy with steroids or heparin
• Total immobilization or disuse of a bone
• Alcoholism
• Malnutrition
• Malabsorption
• Scurvy
• Lactose intolerance
• Endocrine disorders, such as hyperthyroidism, Cushing's syndrome
• Osteogenesis imperfecta
• Cigarette smoking

Various other risk factors that may cause this disease including:

• History of a fracture after age 50 or in a first-degree relative
• Current low bone mass
• Advanced age
• Family history of osteoporosis
• Estrogen deficiency as a result of menopause, especially early or surgically induced
• Abnormal absence of menstruation
• Anorexia nervosa
• Low testosterone levels in men

Symptoms of Osteoporosis

If you have this disease, then various symptoms may be develop such as:

• A postmenopausal woman bends to lift something, hears a snapping sound, then feels a sudden pain in her lower back
• Vertebral collapse causes back pain that radiates around the trunk and is aggravated by movement or jarring.
• Increasing deformity
• Kyphosis
• Loss of height
• Decreased exercise tolerance
• Markedly aged appearance
• Spontaneous wedge fractures
• Pathologic fractures of the neck and femur
• Colles' fractures of the distal radius after a minor fall, and hip fractures

Other various complications of osteoporosis include:

• Spontaneous fractures as the bones lose volume and become brittle and weak
• Shock, hemorrhage, or fat embolism

Treatment of Osteoporosis

If you have this disease, then you should be use Possible treatment such as:

• Treatment to control bone loss, prevent fractures, and control pain may include physical therapy emphasizing gentie exercise and activity and regular, moderate weight-bearing exercise to slow bone loss and possibly reverse demineralization.
• Another treatment for this disease, you can use supportive devices such as a back brace.
• Another most common treatment for this disease is Surgery, if indicated, for pathologic fractures.
• Selective estrogen receptor modulators such as Evista that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for postmenopausal women to increase bone density.
• To help prevent osteoporosis, you don't smoke, and you should also avoid drinking excess alcohol.