Osteoporosis is a common disease that affects over 50 percent of women over the age of 50. Educate yourself now about the risks, treatment methods and prevention tips before it's too late.
Osteoporosis and the fractures associated with this condition can rob you of your mobility and independence. It is a disease that reduces the strength of your bones, causing them to become brittle and prone to breaking.
It is known as a woman’s disease – while men can be diagnosed with osteoporosis, it only affects approximately 2 million out of the 10 million diagnosed in the United States each year.
Approximately 50 percent of the women over the age of 50 have osteoporosis and are at risk for an osteoporosis-related fracture. A woman’s risk of a hip fracture alone is equal to the combined risk of developing breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. And sadly, over 20 percent of victims who suffer hip fractures die within a year of suffering the fracture.
Fortunately, today there are several ways to prevent and treat osteoporosis.
Are you at risk?
While anyone can be at risk for osteoporosis, there are certain people who are at risk more than others. You may have osteoporosis if you have or are:
suffered a fracture after age 50
Low bone mass
Older than 50 years of age
Gone through menopause
Female
A history of osteoporosis in your family
An estrogen deficiency
Thin or small-framed
Suffered from anorexia at any time in your life
Absence of menstrual periods prior to menopause
(in men) low testosterone levels
A vitamin D deficiency
A calcium deficiency
A sedentary lifestyle
A hysterectomy before the age of 45
A history of smoking cigarettes
A history of excessive alcohol consumption over a period of time
Taking or taken corticosteroids or anti-convulsants for a long period of time
If you are Caucasian or Asian (there is a higher risk among these races)
If you have one or more of these risk factors, then you may be at risk for osteoporosis. You may want to discuss this information with your primary care physician in order to take a proactive approach before osteoporosis sets in and robs you of your life.
Screening for Osteoporosis.
A bone density screening provides an accurate measurement of the density of the spine, hip and other bones that are the most frequent sites of fractures. Evaluating the bone density by using conventional x-ray techniques won’t reveal a problem until a person has lost at least 30 percent of his or her bone mass. But using new technology, physicians can receive an accurate picture of a person’s bone density early enough in the disease to start treatment as soon as possible.
Over the past 7 years or so, bone density screenings have been conducted by either using a Peripheral Instantaneous X-ray Imager or a Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry.
The PIXI is a non-evasive test that uses ultrasound to scan and measure the density of the patient’s forearm or heel.
The PIXI test takes approximately two minutes to complete, and the test results are available immediately. If the results indicate that the patient has osteoporosis, the healthcare provider may prescribe the DEXA for further evaluation.
The DEXA requires the patient to lie down on a scanning table. Once the patient is positioned precisely on the table, the table’s scanner passes over the patient. Then, within minutes, the results appear on a computer screen. The healthcare provider then determines whether or not the patient has osteoporosis and how far along the disease has progressed.
Osteoporosis treatments.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for osteoporosis, but early detection and treatment can help those suffering from osteoporosis lead normal lives.
There are a few effective treatments that healthcare providers use today:
Estrogen replacement therapy – Estrogen replacement therapy restores estrogen levels in a woman’s body, and over a period of time, it can reduce the severity osteoporosis and even help prevent heart disease. If estrogen replacement therapy is used for at least 10 years, it can reduce bone fractures up to 75 percent in women.
Healthcare providers can prescribe estrogen replacement therapy in two different ways – the pill or a patch.
It does have a few side effects – women taking an estrogen replacement therapy drug can gain weight, have vaginal bleeding, battle nausea and experience breast tenderness or bloating.
And using estrogen replacement therapy could increase the chances of certain other diseases like breast and uterine cancer – you have to weigh the benefits and the harmful effects before deciding this therapy is right for you.
Bisphosphonates– Bisphosphonate medications are non-hormonal alternative treatments used to reduce osteoporosis. They work by blocking the breakdown of the bone mass – and have been proven to significantly improve osteoporosis.
People taking bisphosphonates like Fosamax and Actonel can experience heartburn, stomach upset or gastrointestinal problems.
Vitamin D and calcium supplements – Vitamin D and calcium supplements help prevent bone loss. You can buy these over the counter, or your healthcare provider may prescribe Calcitrol – an active form of vitamin D that improves the absorption of calcium, or Calcitonin-salmon– a synthetic hormone available in injection and nasal spray form that blocks the cells that break down our bones. We actually produce calcitonin in our bodies that aid in calcium and bone formation, but the synthetic version is more similar to the calcitonin found in salmon. It is proven to decrease the chances of spinal fractures and slow bone loss in postmenopausal women.
Synthetic parathyroid hormone – this is used to treat postmenopausal women who have a high risk of fracturing their bones. The hormone is injected every day during a prescribed treatment schedule – usually no more than 24 months. It actually helps stimulate new bone growth and increases in bone density. It is very effective, especially paired with estrogen replacement therapy, but can cause several side effects like chest pain, constipation, depression, headache, high blood pressure and weakness.
Raloxifine – another osteoporosis treatment is a selective estrogen receptor modulator called Raloxifine. It can give the same beneficial results as estrogen replacement therapy without all the side effects. It is proven to prevent bone loss while reducing the risk for spinal breaks or fractures.
Before this new technology existed, there was little healthcare providers could do to treat or prevent osteoporosis. But, bone density screens and advanced medical therapies and drugs are now available to reduce the risk or prevent osteoporosis.
If you have osteoporosis, beware!
If you suffer from osteoporosis, your doctor will take care of the medical needs that your body now has, but you need to be responsible for your own safety.
Be sure to take these safety tips to heart:
Avoid wet floors or any slippery surfaces that could make you prone to falling.
Have someone install hand rails in the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and other frequently used areas.
Keep your house clean and rid of all clutter.
Use a cane or walker if needed.
Wear your prescribed eye glasses at all times when walking around – you want to avoid a fall.
Use rubber-soled shoes for added safety.
Osteoporosis prevention tips.
There are several things a person can do to prevent the onset of osteoporosis before it’s too late:
Be sure to ingest the daily recommended dosage of calcium.
Get vitamin D in your life – take a supplement and sit in the sun 15 or 20 minutes a day when possible.
Exercise! The more you exercise, the stronger your bones get.
Don’t smoke – smoking robs your bones of calcium and lowers your estrogen levels.
Don’t drink too much – your bones can’t continue to get strong and remodel if you drink too much over a period of time – it inhibits such growth. Plus – it makes you even more at risk for falling.