World Osteoporosis Day 2020: Signs you’re losing your bones

Bones are made of living cells that constantly break down old bone and create new ones. Osteoporosis occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. As a result, bones become weak and brittle, which increases your risk of fractures. Most commonly osteoporosis-related fractures occur in the hip, wrist or spine. As we marked that World Osteoporosis Day today, we want to alert you about the signs or conditions that indicate you’re at a higher risk for a bone fracture.

World Osteoporosis Day is observed annually on October 20 to raise global awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. A gradual loss of height and an accompanying stooped posture is a sign that you might have osteoporosis, which has started affecting your vertebrae. Here are other early warning signs of osteoporosis that you should know.

Common Early Symptoms of Osteoporosis

You may not experience any symptoms in the early stages of bone loss. But once your bones become weak due to osteoporosis, you may notice certain physical changes such as loss of height over time and a stooped posture. If you have a height loss of more than two inches accompanied by a curved spine, see a doctor.

When you develop bone loss or osteoporosis, even a mild to moderate trauma, such as falling from below your standing height, tripping or hitting an object may cause fractures in your wrist, back, and hip.

Sometimes a fragility-related fracture may be obvious — you may feel pain and swelling immediately after a fall or impact, or the affected area may look out of alignment. In some cases, you may feel pain, but may not be able to trace it to a single event. A vertebral fracture may result in back pain that may last as long as six weeks while your bones heal. If you’re older than 50 and suspect you have a fragility-related fracture, talk to a doctor about bone-loss screening or other tests for osteoporosis.

If you’re having difficulty getting up from a chair without using your arms to push or experiencing Joint or muscle aches, you’re at a higher risk for a bone fracture.

Aches and pains are common as you get older or may indicate other health problems as well. So, it’s important to consult a doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.

Risk Factors of Osteoporosis

As you get older, bone mass is lost faster than it’s created. And so the risk of developing osteoporosis increases as you age. Other risk factors of osteoporosis include:

Sex

Women are much more likely to develop osteoporosis than are men

Race

White people or those of Asian descent have the greatest risk of osteoporosis than other races.

Family history

Having a parent or sibling with the condition puts you at greater risk.

Hormone levels

Having too much or too little of certain hormones in the body may also increase your osteoporosis risk. For example, a lower level of estrogen due to menopause is the main risk factor for developing osteoporosis in women. Too much thyroid hormone can also lead to bone loss.

Dietary factors

Osteoporosis may also result from low calcium intake and eating disorders. Calcium is needed to build and maintain strong bones

Medical conditions and treatments

Certain medical problems may also cause osteoporosis. These include celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney or liver disease, cancer, lupus, multiple myeloma, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Gastrointestinal surgery to lose weight and treat gastrointestinal disorders may also increase osteoporosis risk.

Medications

Osteoporosis has also been associated with long-term use of corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone and cortisone. Drugs used to combat or prevent seizures, gastric reflux, cancer, and transplant rejection may also lead to bone loss.

Lifestyle choices

Some bad habits like being sedentary, excessive alcohol consumption, and tobacco use can increase your risk of osteoporosis, too.

Published : October 20, 2020 11:56 am

Source: | This article originally belongs to thehealthsite.com

World Osteoporosis Day 2020: Signs you’re losing your bones

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World Osteoporosis Day 2020: Signs you’re losing your bones

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