A silent epidemic plagues the UK, killing (according to the BBC) 40 people a day and breaking 200,000 bones a year. No, we are not talking about drunk drivers or serial killers: we are referring to osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis: what is it?
Osteoporosis is an illness in which our bones become thinner and more brittle. Sometimes referred to as fragile bone disease, osteoporosis occurs when the honeycomb mesh inside our bones starts developing cracks, causing the bones to weaken and break more easily (especially the spine, hips, and wrist).
Many often think of osteoporosis as a silent threat, because sufferers often dont know they have it, attributing their painful backs to arthritis or simply old age. While they arent necessarily wrong, it is important to recognize that osteoporosis is a different disease altogether. It results in many shattered bones each year, and brittle bones heal very slowly.
What causes it?
Osteoporosis is often the result of a combination of factors, but the main contributors are genetics, age, and gender. If your parents have weak bones and are prone to frequent fractures, you might be more susceptible to developing osteoporosis. Bones also tend to weaken as a natural part of the aging process, gradually losing honeycomb density, so it should come as no surprise that by the age of seventy-five, 50% of the British population suffers from some degree of osteoporosis.
While osteoporosis has often been associated with growing old, recent studies conducted by the National Osteoporosis Society have uncovered that the disease affects younger people as well, especially those who are underweight.
Gender is also a factor, as studies have revealed. Due to the fact that they have smaller and weaker bones than men, most cases of osteoporosis occur with females. This is also largely influenced by the onset of menopause around the age of fifty; female bones are usually protected by oestrogen, but the body stops producing this hormone during menopause, leaving the bones more brittle and exposed.
How is it prevented?
- Ensure that you receive the right nutrition early on in life
- Getting plenty of calcium (and plenty of Vitamin D to absorb the calcium) is essential for healthy bones. Also avoid drinking too much alcohol, caffeine, and fizzy drinks " these could disrupt the calcium balance in your body.
- Get frequent checkups from an osteopath to ensure that you are in good health
Treating Osteoporosis
- Osteoporosis can be treated by a means of gentle exercises on a regular basis, but sufferers are advised not to do any heavy-duty sports
- For women who have already undergone menopause, hormone replacements are available so the body can produce more oestrogen
- Get an osteopath to advise you on a treatment that is specific to your case and body type " medications can be taken to stop the disease from progressing.
While drunk drivers take more lives each year than osteoporosis does, the silent threat is responsible for many casualties. Yet as long as you manage your diet and visit an osteopath on a regular basis, you have done your part to ensure that you bones and body remain healthy. - 14130
Osteoporosis: what is it?
Osteoporosis is an illness in which our bones become thinner and more brittle. Sometimes referred to as fragile bone disease, osteoporosis occurs when the honeycomb mesh inside our bones starts developing cracks, causing the bones to weaken and break more easily (especially the spine, hips, and wrist).
Many often think of osteoporosis as a silent threat, because sufferers often dont know they have it, attributing their painful backs to arthritis or simply old age. While they arent necessarily wrong, it is important to recognize that osteoporosis is a different disease altogether. It results in many shattered bones each year, and brittle bones heal very slowly.
What causes it?
Osteoporosis is often the result of a combination of factors, but the main contributors are genetics, age, and gender. If your parents have weak bones and are prone to frequent fractures, you might be more susceptible to developing osteoporosis. Bones also tend to weaken as a natural part of the aging process, gradually losing honeycomb density, so it should come as no surprise that by the age of seventy-five, 50% of the British population suffers from some degree of osteoporosis.
While osteoporosis has often been associated with growing old, recent studies conducted by the National Osteoporosis Society have uncovered that the disease affects younger people as well, especially those who are underweight.
Gender is also a factor, as studies have revealed. Due to the fact that they have smaller and weaker bones than men, most cases of osteoporosis occur with females. This is also largely influenced by the onset of menopause around the age of fifty; female bones are usually protected by oestrogen, but the body stops producing this hormone during menopause, leaving the bones more brittle and exposed.
How is it prevented?
- Ensure that you receive the right nutrition early on in life
- Getting plenty of calcium (and plenty of Vitamin D to absorb the calcium) is essential for healthy bones. Also avoid drinking too much alcohol, caffeine, and fizzy drinks " these could disrupt the calcium balance in your body.
- Get frequent checkups from an osteopath to ensure that you are in good health
Treating Osteoporosis
- Osteoporosis can be treated by a means of gentle exercises on a regular basis, but sufferers are advised not to do any heavy-duty sports
- For women who have already undergone menopause, hormone replacements are available so the body can produce more oestrogen
- Get an osteopath to advise you on a treatment that is specific to your case and body type " medications can be taken to stop the disease from progressing.
While drunk drivers take more lives each year than osteoporosis does, the silent threat is responsible for many casualties. Yet as long as you manage your diet and visit an osteopath on a regular basis, you have done your part to ensure that you bones and body remain healthy. - 14130
About the Author:
Andrew Mitchell, clinical director of the Osteopath Network, writes papers about musculo-skeletal conditions and Bristol Osteopath. The Osteopath Network has more than 550 clinics located throughout the UK and offers treatment at weekends and after hours.
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