Facts about Osteoporosis You Did Not Know Posted By : Sheila Ffloyd
Osteoporosis is one of the most prevalent conditions facing women today. This disease of the bones is caused by an excessive loss of calcium, resulting in brittle bones that can easily fracture.
Osteoporosis Targets Women
Men can develop osteoporosis, but the disease is most often found in women. Osteoporosis usually occurs after the age of forty, following the onset of menopause. A woman’s body will produce less estrogen as she becomes menopausal. Estrogen helps our bodies to retain calcium, and it is instrumental in keeping bones healthy and strong. That’s why it’s important for post-menopausal women to supplement their calcium intake and retain their bone density.
The rate in which osteoporosis affects women is much higher than the number of men afflicted with the disease. This is partly due to the fact that men usually have a greater bone mass than women. The natural aging process, however, can cause osteoporosis to develop in men as well as women.
If you are a woman of menopausal age, you are in the greatest risk group for developing osteoporosis. Caucasian females appear face a greater risk. Individuals with reduced muscular activity are also prone to osteoporosis. Weight can also be a contributing factor, so those who are underweight, including women with eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, may find themselves at greater risk of developing the disease. Family history is another known factor. If osteoporosis runs in your family, you should be making healthy lifestyle changes today to protect you from developing the disease.
Osteoporosis is Hard to Diagnose
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.
Take steps today if you feel that you are at risk for developing osteoporosis. First and foremost, make an appointment to discuss your concerns and symptoms with your doctor or healthcare professional. He or she will ask about your complete medical history, and perform a complete a physical exam. If there are indications that you are at risk of osteoporosis, your doctor should order a blood test to analyze your calcium levels, assess your thyroid level and rule out other forms of arthritis.
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 affecting patients in the United States. Fortunately, increased education and public attention has led to a greater awareness of this potentially crippling condition. Today, more than ever before, women are able to fully understand the importance of preventing osteoporosis, and enjoy access to the best possible treatment options.