Post #9

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a very common bone disease found mostly in Caucasian or Asian race female gender. Women with osteoporosis have a loss of normal bone density, the bone becomes like a sponge. This disease of the skeleton weakens the bone becoming increasingly brittle and subject to bone fractures. The normal bone is composed of protein, collagen and calcium; Osteoporosis depletes bone calcium and protein from the bone resulting in either abnormal bone quality. Bone that is affected by osteoporosis and can fracture with only a minor injury that would not cause a bone fracture, the fracture can either be a cracking as in a hip fracture or collapsing as in a compression fracture of the vertebral spine. The spine, hips, and wrists are common areas of osteoporosis-related bone fractures although fractures can also occur in the skeletal areas such as the ribs. Fractures that occur during normal activity is a stress fracture, for example someone stepping off a curb.
Consequently this disease can operate silently for decades without begin detected, patients are alerted after suffering a painful fracture. If this disease is in your family history it is recommended to take a bone density test, this test will determine the amount of bone present in the skeletal structure, the higher the density is, the stronger are the bones.
The time to minimize the risk for osteoporosis is between ages 25-40; studies shown that vitamin D along with adequate calcium will increase bone density. Estrogen is also important in maintaining bone density in women, the more bone mass a person has going into middle age; the less he or she will be affected by osteoporosis. When estrogen levels drop after menopause bone loss accelerates, it is wise to stay away from smoking cigarette, because it can decrease estrogen level. The goal of osteoporosis treatment is the prevention of bone fractures by stopping bone loss and by increasing bone density and strength, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Although early detection and timely treatment of osteoporosis can substantially decrease the risk of future fracture, none of the available treatment for this disease is a complete cure. It is completely difficult to rebuild bone that has been weakened by osteoporosis.
Ref: www.medicinenet .com/osteoporosis/article.htm

(medical skills research project on osteoporosis)