About Osteoporosis

Peter rodrick asked:


Basically, osteoporosis means porous bones. In the Greek it translates as “passages through bones.” (This makes perfect sense if you look at the images of osteoporotic bone as opposed to normal bone.) Osteoporosis is a silent disease in that there is no physical sensation associated with it. Some people experience back, neck, or joint pain with fractures, but most do not. Even so, Americans experience 1.5 million osteoporotic fractures per year.

Causes of Osteoporosis

Causes of osteoporosis are heredity and lifestyle. Whites and Asians, tall and thin women and those with a history of osteoporosis are those at the highest risk of getting osteoporosis. The behavioral causes of increasing the risk of osteoporosis are smoking, alcohol abuse, prolonged inactivity and a diet low in calcium. There are also some diseases that are associated with aging that cause osteoporosis, which include kidney failure, liver disease, cancers, Paget´s disease, endocrine or glandular diseases, gonadal failure and rheumatoid arthritis. There are some medications like steroids, seizure drugs, thyroid hormone and blood thinners that are also found to cause osteoporosis.

Symptoms of Osteoporosis

In the beginning of the disease no symptoms of the disease are seen because osteoporosis doesn’t cause symptoms unless bone fractures. Some osteoporosis fractures may escape detection until years later. Patient may not be aware of the disease until they experience painful fracture. Typical osteoporosis fractures occur in hip, vertebral column and wrist. These type of fractures can cause acute radiculopathic pains in the back. Multiple vertebral fractures can cause loss of height and defect in posture.

Back pain, which can be severe if you have a fractured or collapsed vertebra.

Loss of height over time, with an accompanying stooped posture.

Having Osteoporosis symptoms means that your bones will become very brittle and that without to much effort your bones will break or fracture. A simple fall or a knock can break things like your leg bones, hip bones, and wrist bones.

Osteoporosis symptoms are usually very hard to detect and in most cases the first you will know about whether you have Osteoporosis or not is when you end up in hospital due to a broken or fractured bone.

Treatment of Osteoporosis

Treatment for osteoporosis is hormone replacement therapy, where drugs are used to restore estrogen and progesterone levels that are lost due to menopause. However, it should be remembered that long-term use of HRT is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke. Calcitonin is another hormone that breaks down a bone; its supplements are injected for treatment of osteoporosis. Biphosphates are injected as a treatment to decrease the effects of osteoclasts, which leads to less bone breaking down, without a decrease in bone density. This is ideally taken daily, once a week or once monthly. Those past menopause who do not take HRT take an oral medication of Raloxifene, which acts like estrogen in some parts of the body without actually causing a general estrogen effect.



Roy

lon126 asked:


I have neuropathy in my legs and feet, my diabetes is under controled but my neuropathy is getting worst all the time. I fell and broke my hip 5 weeks ago and found out I have osteoporosis. Could this be what causing my neuropathy to get worst? I am in stage 3 osteoporosis. Thanks Lonnie

Beverly

Sabrina B asked:


The title says it all.

Does sun thyroid medication cause osteoporosis?
Yes. I meant Synthroid, my mistake.

Clarence

Sharon Bell asked:


Osteoporosis and other bone-density-related problems affect everyone – men, women, young and old. Although women and the elderly are more susceptible in getting such diseases, men and the younger generations are not immune to them. Figures from the National Institute of Health, Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases-National Resource Center show that over two million men in America have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Furthermore, it is estimated that about 80,000 men suffer from hip fractures every year and almost 33% of these men die within 12 months after the injury.

Scientists believe that smoking is one reason why there is an alarming rate of increase in people affected by osteoporosis. Many used to believe that smoking only affects bone density of old people and women. However, studies conducted in Sweden and China show the direct relationship between smoking and weaker bones, regardless of age and gender.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone condition that makes a sufferer more vulnerable to bone fractures. When you have osteoporosis, you may not be able to perform certain tasks and other strenuous activities for fear of getting a bone fracture. This is a very serious disease because a significant percentage of old people with osteoporosis that get major bone fracture end up dead within a year or so, usually because of complications.

The Link Between Smoking And Weak Bones

It has been known for years that smoking can truly weaken bones of old people. Previous studies have shown that this habit is really one of the reasons for the male gender’s bone degeneration. However, the connection between low bone density and smoking in adolescents has not been proven, at least not until now.

A recent study conducted by Swedish-based Gothenburg Osteoporosis and Obesity Determinants has found that even the bone density of teens can be affected by first-hand smoke. Based on a test conducted on over 1,000 Swedish men aged 18 to 20, the bone density, particularly in the hip, spine and body, of smokers in the group were significantly lower than others who were non-smokers. According to the same study, mineral density in the hip of smokers in the group was 5% lower than those who do not have the habit of smoking. It is important to note that just a 10% decline in bone density already increases a person’s risk of getting bone fracture twice.

Second Hand Smoke Can Weaken Bones Too

Another research that confirms the relationship of smoking and osteoporosis was done in China by the Harvard School of Public Health. This is the first examination on the role of second hand smoke in the development of osteoporosis or the declining bone density levels.

About 14,000 women and men in China participated in the study. Since hip fracture is one of the leading causes of bone-related mortality and morbidity not just in China but the rest of the world as well, the proponents of the study analyzed the mineral density of the hipbone of the participants. Results of the study confirmed that premenopausal women who were exposed to second hand smoke were three times more likely to develop osteoporosis and 2.6 times more at risk at obtaining non-spine fracture in the future than women who were not smokers or exposed to second hand smoke.

Since both studies have confirmed that smoking directly affects bone density of both men and women, it is safe to say that if you do not want to increase your risk of developing osteoporosis in the future, it is best to quit smoking now. Another way of preventing the development of osteoporosis is by taking supplements that will help strengthen your bones. One product that can help protect your bones is Osteozyne. Visit www.osteozyne.com for more information.



Julia

Article Manager asked:


Evista is prescribed for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and breast cancer. This medication is mostly used to prevent brittle-bone disease that strikes some women after menopause. A FDA approved medicine; Evista is quite similar to the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen. This medication also reduces the risk of spinal fractures by almost 50%. Evista shows protective effects against heart disease and breast cancer. Researcher has declared that Evista could prevent two million cases of breast cancer and it also predicts that it will be preferred by women who have earlier rejected tamoxifen. So more and more women are buying Evista and feeling its effective result on their health.

Evista is known to reduce bone loss, which is quite common as the age increases. It is known to increases bone density and strengthens the bones of the women body at the later part of their life. However, Evista does not have estrogen-like effects on the uterus and breasts, and therefore is unlikely to increase the risk of cancer, as estrogen therapy sometimes can do. In postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, Evista provides two health benefits, reducing the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis and reducing the risk of invasive breast cancer. Evista is the only osteoporosis medicine indicated to do both in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. One of the best ways to buy Evista is through online drug stores that make purchase simple and easy.

Evista is a different kind of medicine than other osteoporosis medications and it works differently in one’s body. As with any medication, individual results may vary, and should be discussed with the healthcare professional. Evista is not a hormone, like estrogen and is called an estrogen antagonist, which means it works two ways in one’s body. Evista acts like estrogen in some tissue, and has the opposite effect of estrogen in other tissues.

Evista is been safely prescribed by doctors for over 10 years and is helping many women to fight with osteoporosis and breast cancer. It helps keep bones strong prevent spinal fractures due to postmenopausal osteoporosis. Evista stops the thinning of the bones, increases bone mineral density, and helps restore the bone turn-over rate to normal, pre menopausal levels. It also proves to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. All these benefits of Evista make it a preferred choice of most of the women and they buy Evista for curing their problems without having many side effects.



Joseph

sunydaze asked:


my doctor has also given me a blood test for a vitiman d defishensy so if at all possible I would like to know if this would be related to the symptoms for osteoporosis. Or would that be something totally another direction of health care?

Jeff

Kevin Pederson asked:


Osteoporosis is a condition which makes the bones weak and causing them to break easily. As the bones are fragile the slightest movement can break them, especially joints like the hip, spine and wrists. Increasing age makes you prone to this disease, men over fifty and post-menopausal women are the most common patients of osteoporosis. This breakage of bone occurs within a couple years of menopause due to reduction in estrogen levels. After years of erosion the bones give away causing pain, spinal deformity and fractures.

Some common factors

- Women are more prone to osteoporosis than men. -Increasing age -Hereditary -Low estrogen and testosterone level in women and men respectively. -Thin and frail body structure or suffering from anorexia nervosa -Calcium and vitamin D deficiency -Lack of exercise -Smoking and drinking alcohol has adverse effects on the bone density. -Use of certain medication or drugs

Remedies for Osteoporosis

Eat a healthy diet which includes plenty of calcium and vitamin D. Exercise regularly and cut down on alcohol and cigarettes. For good source of calcium have low-fat milk, yoghurt, cheese, orange juice, green leafy vegetable like spinach, cereals and breads.

A twenty minute walk three to four times a week may help you tremendously. You can also go biking, swimming or join aerobic dancing classes to improve the bone condition. Engage in weight-bearing exercises as these help in strengthening the bones. If you have a swimming pool or a beach around your house, go walking in chest deep water for 30 minutes at least three days a week. This prevents stress on your bones hence there is less erosion.

A cup of milk has 100 international units of vitamin D. Four cups a day could be your daily dose of vitamin D. Studies have also shown that post-menopausal women can have supplements containing manganese (5 mg/day), copper (2.5 mg/day), and zinc (15 mg/day) in combination with a calcium supplement (1,000 mg/day). It is termed to be more effective than having the calcium supplement alone.

Consume less salt and avoid food products which have more than 300 milligrams of salt per serving. Stay away from carbonated beverages like cola and soft drinks. The phosphoric acid present in carbonated drinks contains phosphorus, which if had in excess, can cause elimination of calcium from the body.

Studies have shown that vitamin K is very useful in maintaining healthy bones. It is found in green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, lettuce and spinach. You can also consume vitamin K supplements.

If you want to increase calcium content include Parmesan cheese in your diet. To lessen fat intake and increase calcium, add powdered non-fat dry milk powder in soups, casseroles and other beverages. Some of the food products that promote healthy bones are avocado, black pepper, cabbage, cod liver oil, Dandelion, garlic, onions, Parsley, Pigweed and Horse tail. Eating pineapple also prevents bone fractures due to the presence of manganese in pineapple.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.



Arlene

Jeff Foster asked:


Osteoporosis is a health condition suffered by many today of which the hallmark is the loss of the normal bone density and the subsequent fragility of the skeletal bones.

Because of the loss of or the reduction in the bone density in the original skeletal structure, the skeletal bones lose their strength putting the osteoporotic bones at a much higher risk for fracture.

But osteoporosis leads to bones that look like a sponge. These bones are abnormally porous and begin in the worst-case situations to look a lot like Swiss cheese. Osteoporosis weakens the entire skeletal system and puts the sufferer at great risk for bone fracture.

The morbidity associated with bone fractures in the aging population is quite high.

The anecdotal stories recalled time and time again of senior citizens failing to ever really recover from a bone fracture seem to point as clear evidence of the high morbidity of skeletal fractures.

With osteoporosis bone fracture easily.

In fact a minor fall or simple injury that in the majority of the population might only cause a bump or bruise, but in a person suffering from osteoporosis it can lead to a severe fracture.

The wrist, hips, and spine are the most common locations of osteoporosis-related bone fractures; however, osteoporosis-related fractures can also develop in almost any skeletal bone area.

Normal bone is composed of the collagen, calcium, and protein. But with osteoporosis these are no longer well represented.

Fractures associated with osteoporosis can be in the form of a collapse such as in the case with a compression fracture of the vertebrae in the spine or it can be a fracture in the form of a crack such as when you see a complete hip fracture.

While treatment options are more readily available, the key to osteoporosis is prevention. Once a break occurs the ramifications of that will be with you for life.

It seems currently that women have a higher incidence of osteoporosis. This is thought to be related to the many hormonal changes experienced by a woman during her lifetime.

Osteoporosis is a preventable disease.

The morbidity and mortality associated with osteoporosis is something that must be taken seriously.

Make sure that you see your health care provider on a yearly basis in order to have a current assessment about the status of your bone density particularly if you are a woman over the age of 35.



Gabriel

Kim S asked:


Does anyone know the most common causes of compression fractures of the cervical vertebrae? My mother was recently diagnosed with a compression fracture in her spinal cord at C7 (neck area).

She was Dx w/osteopenia 4 years ago, but hasn’t taken any steps to prevent further progression other than calcium supplements (and not routinely). She has a history of bone fractures, as she fractured her wrist about 2 years ago in a minor fall.

She has yearly mammograms and had lung X-rays taken last year as part of her annual physical. Everything was fine: no traces of cancer in either place. She is 64 y/o, caucasian, non-smoker, healthy and active, and other than having hypothyroidism, she has no other history of disease.

Her recent MRI did not reveal any type of tumor at the sight, however, they want to do further testing to make sure she doesn’t have a malignancy anywhere else in her body. Apparently many cancers can matastasize in the spine.

What are the chances this compression fracture is due to a lack of bone density and NOT to an unidentified malignancy elsewhere in the body?

Please sight any references, if possible.

Thanks for your help.

Carolyn

Peter Kent asked:


study has found an unusual side effect of a group of medications known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs). The drugs, which control gastric acid and secretion have been linked to early onset osteoporosis.

In August 2008, the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that PPIs may reduce calcium absorption, thus causing early onset osteoporosis and bone fracture among patients, especially those taking PPIs for five to seven years or longer.

The study echoed results of a similar study published in a December 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, which found that long-term, high-dose consumption of PPIs contributed to hip fractures among patients.

Nearly 44 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis, which is nearly 55 percent of the 50 plus age group, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation as quoted in a September 2008 American Medical News article.

What are PPIs Used For?

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) were introduced to help patients suffering from an array of conditions find relief with a reduction of gastric acid production. PPIs can be used for treatment of the following:

* Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

* Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

* Stress gastritis

* Barrett’s esophagus

* Peptic ulcer disease (PUD)

* Dyspepsia

* Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease

* Gastrinomas

Conditions causing hypersecretion of acid

The PPIs account for a nearly $13 billion dollar a year industry, considered one of the most popular drugs available coming in only second to cholesterol drugs, according to an article from The Wall Street Journal.

Proton Pump Inhibitor Side Effects

While two medical studies have reported significant dangers associated with consuming PPIs, their have been no proton pump inhibitor recalls and Sameer Dev Saini, MD, the lead author of the Journal of American Medical Associations believes that the evidence is not concrete enough for patients to receive different prescription habits, according to the American Medical News article.

Medical professionals are, however, advising that patients taking PPIs also increase their intake of calcium and vitamin D. Some of the most reoccurring PPI symptoms are:

* Mild dizziness

* Headache

* Nausea

* Diarrhea

* Constipation

* Rash

Patients who are currently taking PPIs and are suffering from the following side effects may want to consider consulting a physician to ensure the PPI is not causing unseen damages:

* brittle bones

* bone fractures

* breaking bones

* osteoporosis

Overcoming PPI Risks

PPIs are most commonly known for treating or reducing heartburn, however, there are several other treatments that can be considered to reduce heartburn as well as consumption of PPIs, which have severe risks associated with them. Also, the following should be considered as alternative treatments including:

* Change in diet, including cutting back on high-fat meals, alcohol, caffeine and soda

* Consuming antacids, such as Tums, Rolaids, Mylanta, to neutralize acid production

* Consumption of H-2 Blockers (Pepcid, Zantac and Tagament), which block acid production

* Pro-motility drugs, such as Propulsid, that hasten gastric emptying

* Antireflux surgery

Several of the more common PPIs brand names include:

* Aciphex (rabeprazole)

* Prilosec (omepraazole)

* Nexium (esomeprazole)

* Prevacid (lansoprazole)

* Protonix (pantoprazole)

Individuals suffering from any of the above conditions who have been taking PPIs for several years should consult a medical professional immediately, as the patient may be at extreme risks for developing early onset osteoporosis.

Additionally, while it may seem frightening at first to contact a legal professional as well, a legal consultation is often free of charge and can provide insight into how to receive monetary compensation for the severity of damages done to a patient who now suffers from PPI-induced bone fractures.



Michelle