Archive for August, 2009

Stop Osteoporosis: Treatment For Thinning Bones

Monday, August 31st, 2009
osteoporosis
Suzanne Andrews asked:


orosis is a major health threat for 44 million Americans every year. 1 out of 2 women and 1 out of 8 men will get osteoporosis. If you’re a woman 50 or over listen up: ½ of all women in this age bracket don’t even know they have low bone mass. Osteoporosis puts people at a higher risk for painful fractures and decreasing your ability to lead a functional life. Osteoporosis isn’t picky either as it has lots of bones to choose from.

You have 206 bones in your body. So what do you think all these bones do? They aren’t just holding you up. Your bones are living storing materials. Think of your bones like a savings account. Bones have a storage vault: 95% of your body’s calcium is stored in your bones. You see, your body absolutely NEEDS calcium to survive. Calcium is even more important for nerve conduction, muscle contraction, and blood clotting. Calcium actually helps your heart contract because your heart is a muscle. So given a choice between making your heart beat or thinning your bones, your body will withdraw from your bone account leaving your savings weak, thin and frail. And that’s how you get Osteoporosis. You survive, but may be bound to a wheel chair and/or suffer a debilitating fracture. Osteoporosis is the most common cause of hip fractures, a tragedy that I am called upon to treat regularly. Hip fractures are painful and can result in permanent loss of independence and even death. Preventative action should be taken now. Weight Bearing and resistance exercises play an important role in Osteoporosis prevention and treatment. The earlier you begin to build a deposit in your bone bank, the healthier you will be.

Your bones are very complex living cells. Bones are not hollow: unless you look inside the middle of a bird bone. But if you haven’t noticed, we don’t fly too well. There is blood formation within your bones. Red cells carry oxygen and white blood cells to defend us against disease.

44 million Americans have low bone mass resulting in debilitating hip fractures and painful wrist fractures. The best exercises to increase bone density are weight bearing and gravity resistant activities. In order to build bone mass you need to overload your muscles with weights. Weights are not only great for changing the architecture of your bones, they also are readily available and keep you more functional with your activities of daily living.

6 Tips for Healthy Bones:

1. Do strength training 3 days a week every other day.

2. Ask your Doctor about a bone density test.

3. Check with your Doctor about medications that slow bone loss.

4. Eat a well balanced diet that includes the recommended daily amount of calcium for your gender and age.

5. Calcium is more readily absorbed with vitamin D. Talk to your Doctor about the correct amount.

6. To decrease falls that could lead to fractures, practice balance exercises.”



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The Back-Breaking Truth About Osteoporosis

Monday, August 31st, 2009
osteoporosis
sean sandvik asked:


The Back-breaking Truth About Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that is common in women.  Approximately ten million American, eight million women and two million men, are affected by this condition.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition that features loss of the bone’s normal density. It leads to abnormally porous bone that is more compressed like a sponge, than dense like a brick.  This disease weakens the bones and increases risks of having fractures.   Even a minor fall or injury may drive the bone to get a fracture.

A lot of factors may contribute to having Osteoporosis.  As we age, our body starts producing lesser calcium, causing natural abasement of the bone.  Certain medications may contribute to a loss of bone density.  And also having a certain bone condition called Osteopenia, which is low bone mass, increases the risk of having Osteoporosis.

How would I know if I have Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a silent disease, it has no specific symptom.  Its only main consequence is an increased risk of getting bone fractures.  Osteoporotic fractures happen in places a normal person would not normally fortuity bones, they are called fragility fractures.  These typically occur in the vertebral column, the hip and the wrist.

Some symptoms of fragility fractures in the vertebral column, also called vertebral collapse, are acute back pain and spinal cord compression.  The pain is caused by compressed nerves.  Multiple vertebral fractures may lead to a stooped posture, loss of height, and chronic pain which causes reduced mobility.

How is Osteoporosis treated?

There are several treatments available for people with Osteoporosis.  However, medical health professionals stressed the importance of a change of lifestyle in order to prevent the disease from developing.

Lifestyle change.  This includes integrating exercise into your schedule and quitting cigarette smoking. Exercise does not do anything to increase bone density, it does, however, improve your sense of balance and strengthen muscles to help prevent you from falls.  Cigarette smoking, on the other hand, decreases bone mass.  For pre-menopausal women, cigarette smoking decreases estrogen level, thereby decreasing bone mass.

Medications.  There are now medications available in the market that helps in stopping bone loss, some medications help increase bone strength, and some help increase bone formation.

Nutrition.  Eating foods rich in calcium will help supplement the loss calcium in the bones.  Vitamin D and protein, although good for muscle strength, have been proven to increase the risk of getting fractures.  It is not best to eat foods with high protein or Vitamin D content.

How can I prevent getting Osteoporosis?

 The best way to fight Osteoporosis is to not get it in the first place.  This condition is easily preventable by means of living a healthy lifestyle, exercise and proper diet.

 Performing exercise at an early age may help achieve higher peak bone mass and good muscle strength.  Having enough exercise helps delay bone abasement and decreases chances of acquiring Osteoporosis even at the later years of your life.  A well-balanced diet with sufficient calcium and vitamin D for the bones and muscles will also help decrease the risk of getting Osteoporosis. 

Being health-conscious at an early age helps, so don’t wait until you’re old to start taking care of your bones.  They are, after all, holding you up and supporting you.

Quick Survey; 90% Of The World Is Right-Handed. What Are You? Right-Handed OR Are You Left-Handed



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Common Osteoporosis Symptoms

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
osteoporosis
TLupo85 asked:


Known as “the silent disease,” osteoporosis affects over 10 million Americans, including approximately 2 million men, making it one of the most common diseases in the country. While most people understand how the disease affects the body, most are unaware of the symptoms, so many don’t even realize they have the disease until it is too late for effective treatment.  Because knowledge is one of the easiest, and most effective preventative measures, here are some facts that you should know about the symptoms of osteoporosis.

Although there are very few specific symptoms related to the disease, there are many warning signs that can alert people if they may be at risk for developing the disease. The first, and most recognizable sign is the development of a dull bone or muscle pain in the lower back or neck, which can progress into a sharper, and more constant pain if the disease is left untreated. Another early sign is a tendency to develop fractures in the wrist, hips and spinal bones, meaning that all of the bones in the body are progressively becoming weaker.  

Past these early development signs, if the disease is still left untreated, osteoporosis will continue to cause more debilitating damage to the body, including spinal compression fractures that can lead to a decrease in height. These fractures are a direct result of the vertebrae in the spine being too weak to support itself, causing the spine to curve forward, which is referred to as kyphosis. In extremely severe cases, the compression and curvature of the spine can impact the body’s nervous system causing tingling sensations, numbness, and a general weakness, which can also influence a person’s walking and balance.

However, despite the scary, and debilitating symptoms that are associated with the disease, osteoporosis is extremely treatable if it is caught in time. Although medical experts are unsure as to exactly what factors cause of the disease, possible causes may include: family history, ethnicity, hormone imbalances, and low body weight. The best preventative medicine is to get tested and intercept the disease before it progress to far.



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From nutritional prospective(diet)- what would affect a person to a point that she will develop osteoporosis?

Sunday, August 16th, 2009
osteoporosis
Jolieta asked:


I really need you all to post something - someone from your family or someone you have known that has the disease, what do they do - do they have a special diet? How does osteoporosis change their or your life? What is a diet you would recommend?

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Osteoporosis Spine Treatment In India At Affordable Cost

Saturday, August 15th, 2009
osteoporosis
Pankaj Nagpal asked:




 

Spinal Osteoporosis

When people age - particularly women - there often comes a loss of height and weight, and the development of stooped posture. A bone-thinning disease called osteoporosis often causes these body changes. This disease is characterized by loss of bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, which leads to bone fragility and increased susceptibility to fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist. In fact, spinal fractures are the most common type of osteoporotic fractures that exist. Forty percent of all women will have at least one by the time they are 80 years old. These vertebral fractures can permanently alter the shape and strength of the spine.

 

Causes of Osteoporosis

Several causes and types of osteoporosis will be explained in this section. The first is primary osteoporosis, which has two types - (I) and (II). Type I is an excessive loss of the spongy tissue of the bone (cancellous bone), with some sparing of outer bone. This type of osteoporosis is six times more common in women than men, and the onset usually occurs in the 15-20 years following menopause. The loss of bone is thought to be linked to an estrogen deficiency in women and a testosterone deficiency in men - both of which are due to aging. In this type of osteoporosis, vertebral spine fractures are the most common result.

 

Symptoms

Perhaps the most common symptom of osteoporosis is a vertebral compression fracture or hip fracture. The compression fractures in the spine, caused by weakened vertebrae can lead to pain in your mid-back area. The fractures often stabilize on their own and the pain goes away, but sometimes the pain persists because the crushed bone continues to move around and break.

 

Diagnosis

If you have symptoms of osteoporosis, you should consult with your doctor. Additionally, older women should discuss their risks of osteoporosis with a health care provider, even if they are not currently exhibiting any signs of the disorder. All women should be aware of the many preventative steps to take to decrease the risk of developing osteoporosis.

To diagnosis osteoporosis, your physician can do several things. Diagnosis will begin with a physical examination that measures height, weight, and middle fingertip-to-middle fingertip arm span. This gives a rough estimate of what your original height might have been in young adult life. Vertebral tenderness will also be checked.

 

Treatment Options and Prevention

Calcium

The most fundamental suggestion is to increase your calcium intake, either through dietary changes or supplemental pills. It is best for people to begin adequate calcium intake at an early age, as bone mass begins to decrease around the age of 30. After age 30, calcium helps decrease bone loss, strengthen bones, and decrease the risk of fractures…

 

Vitamin D

A vitamin D deficiency may contribute to bone loss and fracture, and at least 800 mg per day is recommended for all adults. Many calcium supplements contain vitamin D…

 

Exercise

Exercise five days a week for at least 30 minutes helps reduce bone loss. The best exercises for maintaining bone mass are weight-bearing exercises. This includes walking…

 

Medications

Currently, four medications have approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Hormone/estrogen replacement therapy is used for both prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. HRT can reduce bone loss, increase bone density in the spine and hip, and reduce the risk of hip and spinal fractures in postmenopausal women…

 

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Things you should know about Osteoporosis Drugs

Friday, August 14th, 2009
osteoporosis
faisal farrukh asked:


If in the initial stages, and you just ignore this particular condition, then it can take a deadly form and literally makes it impossible for you to walk as well. Some may ask why this particular bone deterioration happens. The reason is because for over a period of time, your body is devoid of minerals, then the bone gets affected slowly. This may also occur due to accidents to the bone or even old age. No matter what the reason for the problem is, you should know that treating it in the initial stages is the most important thing to do.

In this particular condition, the bones seem to develop something similar to pores and break easily. This is the reason why we see most of the old aged people find difficulty in walking a few steps as well. Some of them can hardly squat on the floor. We will now see which of the drugs seem to have proved effective in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Bisphosphonates: The nature of the body cycle involves that old bones are constantly replaced by new ones. But as one grows old, the wearing out of bone takes place quickly than the replacement phase. Bisphosphonate drug is known to restrict the activity of the bone narrowing cells from further damaging the bone. This is one of the most commonly used osteoporosis drugs in the treatment of osteoporosis. Raloxifene: This particular drug is used to prevent osteoporosis in women who have attained menopause. It has some estrogen-like effect on the bone while prevents it in the breast and also the uterus. It is very effective in preventing the spine from fracturing. It is known to prevent bone loss as well. Calcitonin: This is a kind of drug that can be taken as an injection or as a nasal spray. This drug is a natural hormone that is known to protect the bone and also regulate the levels of calcium in the body. Thus, bone loss can now be effectively prevented by just increasing this particular hormone level in the body. This has a curing effect and can be used to treat bone fractures as well. It is known to prevent spine fracturing too. Teriparatide: This particular drug is an intake of human parathyroid hormone. It is safe to be used in women who have already attained menopause as well as men who seem to be at the risk of fracturing their bones due to osteoporosis.

These are some of the osteoporosis drugs that are used in treating osteoporosis. They seem to give satisfactory results too which is why most of the doctors prescribe them.



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Does anyone know if Depakote causes osteoporosis?

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
osteoporosis
Kristin G asked:


I’ve been taking Depakote (1500 mg a day) for 5 years for bipolar. My mom thinks that it can “steal the calcium from your bones” (she had a friend on Depakote for epilepsy and the friend was getting bad teeth). I don’t want to end up with osteoporosis. Any thoughts?

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Men and Osteoporosis

Sunday, August 9th, 2009
osteoporosis
Julie asked:


Known to attack women in greater numbers than men, osteoporosis can strike certain members of the male sex in their later years. Men, of course, do not experience menopause and the types of changes in their male hormones such as women do. While the matters of possible bone matter loss within women begin after menopause, such loss does not happen to men until they are much older.

For you, as a man, the time range at when osteoporosis could possibly develop is between sixty-five to seventy years of age.

From the time frame of middle age and on into the earlier years of older age, you should know about the preventions and risks of osteoporosis. Four major facts that can put you at great risk for developing this serious bone disease are advanced aging, an inactive type of lifestyle, the smoking of cigarettes, and drinking to many alcoholic beverages.

Another cause of susceptibility toward being affected by osteoporosis is due to a drop in the level of the male sex hormone, otherwise known as testosterone.

On the other hand, four of the preventative steps to take in keeping osteoporosis from affecting your bones are to keep on a diet that is balanced, as well as having foods rich in calcium; only drink alcohol on a limited basis; exercise on a regular schedule, and include workouts that involve some weights; and to not smoke. A supplement to your diet that can aid in keeping osteoporosis away is Vitamin D.

Being a man, you need to know the worst facts about men and osteoporosis. For men that are over fifty years of age, one in eight will suffer from at least one effect of osteoporosis. In the United States, over two million men are affected by the devastating effects of osteoporosis, with many more at a heightened risk towards developing this bone-stealing disease. On a yearly basis, many thousands of men suffer fractures to their spinal regions, hips and wrists, as well as to other sites where bones are involved, all, due to osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis weakens bones. This disease of the bone lessens the density of bone material, which leads to fractures. Such fractures, due to advanced aging, can greatly make for a poor quality of life in your later years.

Talk with your doctor soon. As a man of maturing age, arrange to be tested for the presence of osteoporosis. Once diagnosed, you can either be assured or ensured, through a course of prescribed treatment. Taking such action now will protect both your bones and overall well-being.



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Living With and Treating Osteoporosis

Sunday, August 9th, 2009
osteoporosis
John Russell asked:


rm osteoporosis refers to the thinning of bones. It is a very common disease, three million people are estimated to have it and over 230,000 fractures occur every year as a result of it. It is said to affect one in two women and one in five men who are over the age of 50 but how much do you actually know about this disease?

When we are young our bodies are continually developing, well the same can be said about our bones. They will continue to grow and get denser as well as stronger until they reach maximum strength, which generally happens when we reach between the ages of 25 to 30 - this is known as peak bone mass. Once we have reached peak bone mass, however, our bones stop getting denser and as we grow older they too will grow older.

In many cases, we tend to think of our bones as being solid and static objects, this, however, isn’t the case. In fact, our bones are an active and dynamic organ, which means they go through a constant process of cell growth and repair as well as change just like all of our other organs.

Our bones are made from strands that are formed by the protein collagen and they are hardened by calcium salts as well as other minerals. Within these strands are blood vessels and everything is protected by a dense outer shell. Inside our bones, there are millions of living cells - these cells are what break down and replaces old bone. So how does osteoporosis change this?

Osteoporosis is when you start to lose bone mass, which causes your bones to thin. It means you are prone to breakages and fractures, especially within your wrists and hips as well as ribs. In some cases, fractures have occurred from simply sneezing.

There are a number of reasons as to why you may end up suffering the effects of osteoporosis such as the following:

* Low testosterone levels in men

* Suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, as it can develop into osteoporosis

* Women who have the disease run in their family

* Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption

* Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia

* Low amount of calcium in diet

* Having an inactive lifestyle

* Use of certain medications, such as corticosteroids and anticonvulsants

* Women who have gone through menopause

Although both men and women can and do develop the disease, women are more prone to it. The main reason for this is due to menopause. It is a risk once you are post menopausal but not all hope is lost as there is preventive treatment that you can undertake.

Once you have lost bone mass it can?t be regained but what you can do is prevent further damage from occurring by strengthening the remaining structure and preventing any further thinning. The treatment that you do receive, however, depends on the cause of your osteoporosis. For example, in men with low testosterone you can undergo testosterone treatment to increase the hormone.

In other cases of osteoporosis, you may benefit from Calcium and vitamin D supplements. Calcium is highly important in maintaining the strength of your bones so you may want to seek supplements with the advice of your doctor.

If you are suffering osteoporosis due to menopause, then natural hormone replacement therapy will be able to help. Supplements such as black cohosh and wild yam will help to maintain your bone density. You should, however, discuss all treatments with your doctor in order to get the best help.

With the right help you will be able to control the effects of osteoporosis even though you won?t be able to cure them. By maintaining and controlling the effects, you will be giving yourself the best chance of a normal life, so make use of the help that is available now.



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