About Osteoporosis

Robert asked:


Two recent studies in China revealed that Chinese herbs for Bones - traditionally used as a kidney tonic - may in fact offer a therapeutic aid to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis.

The first trial, conducted at the Union hospital, Tongji Medical University in Wuhan, China. 34 patients participated in a double blind, controlled study. Seventeen post-menopausal women were given a Chinese herbal formula for bones and a further seventeen post-menopausal women were given calcium treatment and used as a control group.

After three months, the results showed that 92% of the patients in the Chinese herb group had improved. Six months after the treatment the bone density of the lumbar vertebrae of 69% of the patients was significantly higher than before the treatment and the bone density of the control group was considerably lower.

The researchers concluded that Chinese herbs for bones could prevent and improve post-menopausal osteoporosis by improving bone formation and retarding the decline of bone density.

Similar results were found in a follow-up controlled study at the Tongji Medical University, Wuhan, China where 43 patients with menopause within a period of 5 years were randomly divided into two groups; one group to receive the Chinese herbal formulas for bones and the other used as a control group.

The participants’ bone metabolism, serum estradiol and forearm bone density were taken before and after treatment. The results showed that five months after the treatment, the women in the treatment group showed improved bone mineral content whereas those women in the control group showed decreased mineral densities.

Furthermore, the ratio of fasting urinary calcium and hydroxyproline to creatinine was lower than before the treatment and significantly lower than that of the control group. The researchers concluded that the study results indicate that the Chinese herbs was linked to a declining of bone mineral loss in post-menopausal women.



Derrick

Marissa asked:


My grandmother has Osteoporosis and I was wondering what I can to now, at age 22, to prevent or to minimize the effects of osteoporosis.

Thanks for helping.
Please Mature answers only.

Robert

Sunjay S asked:


My mother aged 67, is suffering from osteporosis of the feet and also tiny holes are present in the bones. Extra ununiform growth
has taken place in the feet and there are tiny holes also in the feet bones.She had had a feet operation 25 years ago and the bones were wrongly set and never rectified.Carelessness resulted in bones growing in disproportionate angles.She now is on Homeopathy medicines which has given a certain amount of relief, but not cured. The pain is excuciating during periods when the bone grows and it subsides after the growth stops, only to come back after a month.Should she go for a surgical operation
to rectify this state permanently? Or can surgery be dangerous at this age?Can it turn cancerous?Can the upper femur bones be damaged slowly, if this is not treated?

Jessica

Alan Haburchak asked:


Swiss researchers recently concluded that Avandia, a type 2 diabetes drug, nearly doubles the chances of osteoporosis and bone fracture among patients who take the drug and is increased for patients taking the drug for more than a year. The results of the study come on heels of controversy surrounding the drug?s link to increased heart disease and various studies warning of potential risks related to bone degradation.

In 1999, Avandia became available from manufacturers GlaxoSmithKline and was given to nearly 3.5 million Americans suffer from the condition. Avandia was once considered one of the most popular treatments until results of several clinical trials reported in the news in 2007 determined a strong connection of the drug to cardiomyopathy and cardiovascular disease. One study, published by the Cleveland Clinic, found a 43 percent increase for patients developing these various heart diseases. Dr. Of the thousands of myocardial infacractions that have occurred over the last few years, nearly 83,000 may have been preventable, according to John Buse, a diabetes expert.

It wasn’t until the Swiss research that conclusive evidence was reported on the serious risk of osteoporosis link. The Swiss study determined patients on Avandia and Actos, which is also part of the Avandia class of drugs known as thiazolidinediones, doubled and, in some cases, tripled the ?odds of non-spine fractures? among patients, according to news reports. For patients who took the drug for 12 to 18 months, this risk increased, and for those on the drug longer than two years were found to be at the highest risk of bone fracture and osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by loss of bone density and leads to abnormally porous bones, thus increasing the fragility of bones and an increase of fractures and breaks. A bone diseased with osteoporosis will have a density similar to that of a sponge, whereas healthy bones have a brick-consistent density level. Calcium combined with collagen and protein provide strength to bones. Avandia was found to inhibit the development of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, which are cells that induce the redevelopment of healthy bone over time. Nearly 18 million U.S. citizens are at risk for osteoporosis. While taking Avandia, that risk has been suggested to only increase.

The Swiss researchers used medical records of over 1,000 diabetic patients who were diagnosed with bone fractures between the years of 1994 and 2005. The medical records included diagnosis of fractures for these patients from British physicians, and the research was compared to a control group of diabetics that did were not diagnosed with bone fractures during that time. Avandia, once an extremely popular form of type 2 diabetes treatment, now is rapidly declining in popularity and in sales because of surfacing side effects. Most recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a routine inspection that brought about information of results being withheld on the drug, thus the FDA issued manufacturers GlaxoSmithKline a warning letter.

However, the risk of osteoporosis and Avandia consumption has not be recognized by the FDA. In fact, the FDA has only responded to the controversial heart disease link by placing a black box warning on Avandia prescriptions, which some health experts consider to be a mild slap on the wrist considering the severe safety issues associated with the drug and many of these individuals are advocating removal of the drug from the market. The black box warning is the strongest label given by the FDA and warns of significant risk and the potential for life-threatening risks associated with taking a drug.

Individuals who have taken Avandia and who were adversely affected by the side effects of osteoporosis and bone fracture should speak with a pharmaceutical attorney about developing Avandia litigation to potentially receive monetary compensation for the medical bills incurred at the cost of the Avandia side effects.



Susan

Stew Mayers asked:


When it comes to the bone health issues such as Osteoporosis and Arthritis, there often can be the assumption that both of these conditions are similar bone problems, but this is far from being true. These are both bone diseases that needs further explaining, so that there is a better understanding of the both of these bone diseases for better bone health.

The data available on the specific bone disease of Osteoporosis, on the average at least 44 million individuals within the United States alone are known to have some form of Osteoporosis and more than 68% of these unfortunate individuals are women. Osteoporosis is a bone disease which attacks the tissue directly and leads to bone tissue loss. It causes the bones to lose the calcium density that normally protects us from bone fractures and breaks.

Some of the other very serious issues of concern with Osteoporosis can be loss of height, severe back pain and even deformity of the bones. Osteoporosis has been known to impair the body’s walking ability and in severe cases, there are permanent disability due to deformed bone structure.

If you are an excessive smoker or drink, you are more prone to this specific disease. If you are one that has an excessive lacking in physical activities, you will also be taking a bigger risk in a future of Osteoporosis. Your family history, constant lack of a calcium intake, and even some medications can eventually be the cause of Osteoporosis.

When it comes to the bone disease of Arthritis, this is just a blanket term pertaining to the specific problems directly relating to the joints and bone tissues between and around the bones. The two specific kinds of arthritis that tends to be the most common are specifically the bone disease of Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The very painful degenerative disease of the joints that pertains directly to Osteoarthritis commonly affects the hips, the knees, the neck, the lower back area, and the hand joints. Rheumatoid Arthritis is specifically an auto-immune inflammatory disease that may specifically cause the hands, wrists, elbows, knees, feet, ankles, and even the shoulders to swell, often be stiff to normal movements., It is also known to cause deformity of otherwise normal body movements.

The cause of this auto-immune disease is when the body decides to inappropriately release certain enzyme that attacks the healthy tissues of the body. There may be fatigue, fever, loss of weight, anemia, inflammation of the eyes, skin bumps, and even inflammation of the lungs.

People after 30 are facing these two problems without much of a remedy. Knee pain is a very common issue. Obesity is also considered as a major reason for the knee pain. All arthritides feature pain. Pain patterns may differ depending on the arthritides and the location. Rheumatoid arthritis is generally worse in the morning and associated with stiffness; in the early stages, patients often have no symptoms after a morning shower. In the aged and children, pain might not be the main presenting feature; the aged patient simply moves less, the infantile patient refuses to use the affected limb.



Arnold

gold dust asked:


im only 38, and have osteoporsis. can i horseback ride?

Carrie

Jeff Foster asked:


Osteoporosis occurs when there is a loss of density in the skeletal system leaving you more at risk for bone fractures.

An early symptom of osteoporosis often presents as bone fractures which do not match up to the described injury or ones which occur in the absence of any obvious injury.

Other patients may present with back pain which seems to have no clear explanation. Back pain must be taken seriously and should be investigated clearly before being written off, especially if osteoporosis ends up to be the diagnosis. It is a mistake you cannot afford.

Osteoporosis leads to the skeletal bones leaching calcium, collagen and even protein. With the loss of these minerals, the skeletal system bones become more porous, in extreme cases, often taking on the appearance of Swiss cheese. It is this depletion that can lead to severe back pain and fractures.

Osteoporosis symptoms can appear without warning. Think about the back pain that just won’t end. Many patients don’t even know that they have osteoporosis until they experience a break and then have an exam and x-ray. Sometimes the osteoporosis isn’t even diagnosed until after multiple fractures which puts you at risk for even higher morbidity. Multiple fractures or even fractures without obvious injury should be considered suspicious and require further investigation.

Spinal fractures can lead to severe back pain which radiates from the back and around to the sides. Many times compression fractures of the spine are quickly related to common osteoporosis symptoms. These fractures can also lead to a loss of height and in severe cases can cause the hunched back appearance many associate with osteoporosis. Many patients are initially diagnosed with osteoporosis during treatment for back pain.

Other patients may also be diagnosed with osteoporosis during a hospitalization for a hip fracture. Often hip fractures occur from even a very simple a slip and fall. When the hip fracture doesn’t match the extent of the fall which occurred then this absolutely must be investigated for a break secondary to osteoporosis. Hip fractures often heal very poorly due to the poor bone quality and the location of the fracture.

If you are experiencing symptoms of osteoporosis such as fractures without just cause or back pain that you simply cannot explain, then you must make an appointment with your healthcare provider to discuss the possibility of osteoporosis. This diagnosis is not one that you can ignore.

The morbidity of this condition can be so life altering that you may never again recognize your life if osteoporosis gets a solid grip.



Terri

Greg Marsh asked:


Osteoporosis is a condition in which your bones become weak and brittle. Although many individuals get this condition simply as they age, others will face it due to other situations including those like taking arthritis medications. Some medications that are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis interact with the calcium in your bones and can cause a weakening in the bones that is significant. If you are taking these medications, it is quite important that you talk to your doctor about your risk of developing osteoporosis.

What Medications Put You At Risk?

Corticosteroid medications are those that are most likely to cause you the development of osteoporosis. In order for this to happen, though, you will need to take the medication for a long period of time, regularly. Some of these medications include cortisone, prednisolone, prednisone, and dexamethasone. As you use them, they slowly cause the bone to become weaker and weaker. They can severely damage the bone if they are not carefully monitored, which most doctors will do.

Does that mean that you should stop taking the medications that are important for treating the rheumatoid arthritis pain you have? Absolutely never stop taking the medications that you are on without talking to your doctor about them first. In addition, you and your doctor should have a treatment plan available that will incorporate regularly monitoring your body’s bone density. In a simple test, your doctor will be able to determine if your bones are being affected by these medications and then can alter them as he or she sees fit. Some doctors will prescribe medications to help treat the osteoporosis and medications that can increase your bone density.

Treatments for osteoporosis and arthritis are important considerations for you and for your doctor. The doctor is not likely to be treating just one of these conditions and therefore should monitor your bone health throughout your care. But, you can and you should ask questions about what the medications you are taking for each of these will do to your body. You should know the risk factors and what they mean to you, personally. In addition, you should have an understanding of what is available to help avoid these risks to the fullest level.

Preventing osteoporosis is something that can be done. Not only will you want to talk to your doctor about these conditions, but you also should take into account the risks that are there. Prevention of osteoporosis should be one of the first things that you and your doctor talk about when you begin taking these types of medications. Prevention usually includes increasing the amount of calcium that your body takes in on a daily basis. You probably will need to increase this amount considerably.

There is no doubt that the medications you take for arthritis are important to your health and well being. They shouldn’t be stopped, in most cases. But, you should talk to your doctor about a prevention plan for osteoporosis, which can be prevented in most cases.



Edwin