Osteoporosis is a disease that couldnot to be. However, according to some researchers, by 2020 women with bone fractures will account for a third of all inpatients. This disease is more common than cold, allergies and elevated cholesterol. And the treatment of osteoporosis is more expensive than the fight against asthma and diabetes. Mortality from hip fractures among women has higher rates than mortality from all types of cancer. What to do to protect yourself from this disease?
What is osteoporosis?
It is a disorder in which bone densityThe tissue is so reduced that a bone fracture happens even from a minor impact. The bones gradually become extremely fragile and porous. Old bone cells do not have time to be replaced by new ones, although many patients do not even realize that they are sick. As a result, the first palpable symptoms of osteoporosis are fractures.
"Porous bones" - literally translatedthe word "osteoporosis", the symptoms whose treatment cannot be started, appear for the first time, as a rule, only in old age. But the bones begin to thin out 30 years before the first fracture occurs. In addition, the bones grow together much slower than in youth, as the process of restoring bone cells slows down.
Therefore, the higher it is possible to increase bone density at a young age, the more time will pass before the disease declares itself. Knowing this, you can protect against osteoporosis.
Reasons why osteoporosis symptoms appear
The exact causes are unknown, but science talks about factors contributing to the development of the disease:
• Hereditary features. Symptoms of osteoporosis will be felt on themselves more likely by thin women of short stature (up to 157 cm) of northern European origin with light skin type.
• Sedentary lifestyle. Smokers, those whose diet is poor in calcium, are in the sun on average less than 3 hours per week, are abusing caffeine and alcohol - are at risk.
• Use of certain types of drugs.Diuretic drugs (furosemide), cortisone, dilantin (long-term use), thyroid hormones, levothyroxine, agents containing aluminum hydroxide increase the risk of osteoporosis.
• Health status. Symptoms of osteoporosis can often occur in the following cases:
1. Artificial or early menopause, causing a reduced estrogen level.
2. The absence of menstruation (amenorrhea).
3. Anorexia nervosa caused by prolonged starvation or too tight diet.
4. Hyperfunction of the thyroid gland.
5. Diabetes.
6. Urolithiasis, kidney disease.
7. Intolerance to dairy products caused by a lactase deficiency.
8. Colitis, ileitis.
9. Rheumatoid arthritis.
10. Bed rest lasting more than three weeks
11. Alcoholism.
Prevention of osteoporosis
In order to protect against osteoporosis, it is necessary in the first thirty years of your life to do everything possible to increase sufficient bone density. To do this:
• Exercise regularly.
• Stop smoking
• Do not abuse caffeine and alcohol.
• Monitor the correctness of your posture, paying particular attention to your back.
• Enough sun exposure to help produce vitamin D
• Eat foods rich in calcium and not to get involved in diets and starvation, leaving your body for a long time without the necessary minerals
Although it is not yet possible to fully recover from this ailment, nonetheless, effective drugs have been created that facilitate the patient’s condition and reduce the risk of fractures.
Patients should constantly make available andsafe set of exercises, being physically active, follow the diet and take these recommendations very seriously as prescribed medications.
