Understanding Osteoporosis – Causes, Risks, Prevention & Treatments

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is the thinning of bones which can cause them to become porous and fragile. It is linked with aging, progresses more rapidly after menopause and women are more affected compared to men. It is estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men over the age of 50 worldwide have osteoporosis. However, the good news is that this disease is preventable and can be treated.

Osteoporosis is often called the silent disease as most people don’t know they have osteoporosis until the disease has progressed – often up to the point of fracture, sometimes in the hip, wrist and even spine.

Undiagnosed osteoporosis often results in a vertebral fracture, but the pain is frequently dismissed as just general back pain. The lack of awareness on this can lead to serious illness, deformity and sometimes death. But osteoporosis alone may not cause back pain. It is possible that it might weaken the spine to where it can no longer withstand normal stress or bumps, resulting in vertebral fracture. So in fact, it is the fracture that causes pain.

There is a sub-condition of osteoporosis, called Osteopenia. Osteopenia is a condition where the bone mineral density is found to be lower than normal, but now low enough to be classified as osteoporosis. While this may seem like a progressive sign towards developing osteoporosis, not everyone with osteopenia will develop osteoposis. Osteopenia occurs more frequently in post-menopausal women as a result of the loss of estrogen. As the conclusive diagnosis of osteopenia puts one at greater risk for osteoporis, patients should seek advice for implementing preventive measure from their physicians.

What causes Osteoporosis and what are its risk factors?

The human bones are made of complex and constantly changing living tissues. They are somehow able to grow and heal, and are affected by dietary changes, body chemistry and exercise levels as well.

In the early life, our body grows more bone than its removal. Most people achieve peak bone mass by around the age of 30 and after that age, more bone is lost than is being replaced. So large amounts of bone loss over time will lead to osteoporosis.
There are 2 primary types of osteoporosis that are far more common in women than in men:

1. Postmenopausal osteoporosis – this generally develops after menopause, when estrogen levels drop abruptly, leading to bone loss. Mostly happens in the trabecular bone which is inside the hard cortical bone.
2. Senile osteoporosis – more likely to happen after age 70 which involves the thinning both bone types, trabecular and cortical.

Additionally, certain medications and health conditions can cause damage to the bone and lead what is known as “secondary osteoporosis”. At any point in time, patients being treated or found with any of the following conditions should discuss the risk of osteoporosis with their physicians:

1. Gastrointestinal disorders
2. Marrow disorders
3. Endocrine disorders
4. Seizure disorders
5. Collagen disorders
6. Eating disorders (such as anorexia or bulimia)

As treatment for osteoporosis is often different, it is important to differentiate between the primary and secondary causes of osteoporosis. To find out its cause, a complete or thorough medical history, physical examination and appropriate diagnostic tests must be conducted by the physician.
Let’s see the key risk factors for developing osteoporosis:

1. Advance in age – normally symptoms appear after age 65
2. Gender – a study has shown that women are four times more likely to develop osteoporis than men
3. Heredity – family history of osteoporosis or fracture on the mother’s side
4. Personal history – any type of fracture after age 45
5. Race – Caucasian and asian women are at greater risk
6. Body type – women with smaller bones who weighs less than 127 pounds
7. Menstrual history – normal menopause increases the risk of osteoporosis and early menopause can aggravate this risk
8. Lifestyle – lacking in calcium and/or vitamin D, little or no exercise (especially weight-bearing exercise), abuse of alcohol, smoking, too much cola/soda drinks.
9. Testosterone deficiency (hypgonadism) – found in men

Are women at greater risk for developing osteoporosis?

The answer is yes. In women, estrogen plays a very crucial role in maintaining bone strength. Starting at about age 30 through onset of menopause, women lose a small amount of bone every year as a natural part of the aging process.  When women reach menopause, estrogen levels decrease significantly, causing the rate of bone loss to increase around 8 to 10 years before it can return to premenopausal rates.

What are the symptoms of Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis normally goes undetected for years and the first outward sign is fracture itself. Advanced osteoporosis is capable of getting one disabled and often leading to one or more of the following:

1. Chronic or severe pain
2. Fractures in the spine, wrist or hip
3. Deformation of the spine (hunched back, lost of height)
4. Limited function and reduced mobility
5. Loss of independence
6. Decreased lung capacity
7. Difficulty in sleeping

Osteoporosis is the leading cause of spine fractures, especially in women over the age of 50, but only about one third of all spine fractures can be diagnosed.
Vertebral compression fractures  – Most osteoporosis spine fractures start with an acute back pain, usually after routine activity, such as lifting or bending, that slightly strains the back or spine. After a month or two, this acute pain is usually replaced by an achy pain.

How to Prevent Osteoporosis?

Type I osteoporosis or Postmenopausal osteoporosis can be considerably influenced by normal preventive measures. Most of these behaviours are up to the individual and should be practised in life as early as possible. For those genetically predisposed to osteoporosis, the following practices are even more important:

1. Regular exercise – weight-baring exercises or exercises that work one’s bones and muscles against gravity are essential and can help in maintaining bone health
2. Ensure of adequate Calcium & Vitamin D intake – Calcium can keep bones strong. Vitamin D helps in ensuring the absorption and retention of Calcium in the bones. The requirements for Calcium and Vitamin D may vary depending on age and gender.
3. Eat a balanced and healthy diet – While certain foods provide excellent sources of calcium, diets high in protein and/or sodium can increase the loss of calcium in the body
4. Avoid or quit smoking – smoking has a detrimental effect on bone density, leading to greater risk of injury and longer recovery times.
5. Reduce or limit alcohol consumption – too much alcohol in the body has been proven to accelerate bone loss
6. Reduce or limit intake of colas/sodas – excess of cola or soda can increase the risk of osteoporosis
7. Undergo a bone density testing – If you are postmenopausal, over the age of 65 or have other risk factors, one should do that every 1 or 2 years. Bone mineral density tests can indicate normal, low or osteoporotic bone density levels, as well as any increased risks of bone fracture.

What are the available treatments for Osteoporosis?

Once a patient has been diagnosed for osteoporosis, the patient and physician should cooperate together to develop a treatment plan where the goal is to slow any further bone loss and prevent fractures from happening. Treatments for osteoporosis today may include

1. Dietary or Nutritional Education
2. Exercise (if no fracture found) – help in maintaining bone density and reduce the risk of falls
3. Medication – to slow bone loss and prevent fractures. Osteoporosis medications can fall into 2 categories:
   a) medications that slow or stop bone resorption rate
   b) medications that help increase bone formation
4. Treatment for vertebral fractures which may include:
   a) rest, though long-term rest accelerates bone loss
   b) rigid back braces for supporting the spine
   c) ice or heat and pain medications
   d)surgery such as kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty, which may be necessary in certain conditions where the patient’s fracture is causing severe pain and/or deformity, or the patient has failed to respond to three months of non-surgical treatment

The good news is that even once osteoporosis has been diagnosed, it is still possible to slow bone loss, build bone density and prevent fractures. However, continually advancing osteoporosis and related fractures are not an avoidable outcome after being diagnosed with this disease.

Tags: Musculoskeletal Disorders, osteopenia, risks of osteoporosis

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