Saturday, December 31, 2011

Osteoporosis Definition, Causes, and Symptoms

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Osteoporosis is the most important type of bone diseases. This disease is age related and it's identified by the lack of bone mass and can lead to bone fracture. According to research, about 1 out of 5 American women over the age of 50 years have osteoporosis. Bones that are often broken are the hip, spine and wrist. Also about 3 million people from the United kingdom have osteoporosis, which causes 230,000 fractures each year. Osteoporosis develops when the body fails to form new bone and when large amount of old bone re-absorbed by the body.
So what is the bone?
Bone is living tissue made up of protein (collagen) and calcium. Collagen is a protein that gives a soft structure to bone. And calcium and phosphate which give the bone strength and stiffness.
The calcium and phosphate form the most important elements needed for the normal growth of bone as the body uses these components to form bone. If you do not get adequate amounts of calcium or if your body does not absorb adequate amounts of calcium this will affect the formation and growth of your bone.
This magic combination between calcium and phosphate makes bones stronger and more flexible. About 99% of calcium found in bones and teeth and the remaining 1% are found in blood.
In childhood anabolism overcomes the catabolism so we find that the new bone is added fast compared to the removal of old bone.
For women there is fastest removal of bone after menopause and continue for postmenopausal stage.
Osteoporosis affects women more than men
Causes of and risk factors of osteoporosis:
1. Lack of exercise.
2. Decrease calcium in diet.
3. Chemotherapy.
4. Alcoholism.
5. Low body weight (thin body).
6. Family history of osteoporosis.
7. Racial factors (Asian race).
8. Gender factors (Female gender).
9. Heavy cigarette smoking.
10. Poor diet.
11. Low sex hormones estrogen in women and testosterone in men.
12. Being confined to a bed (immobility).
13. Amenorrhea (Absence of menstrual periods).
14. Hyper (thyroidism and parathyroidism).
15. Deficiency of Vitamin D.
16. Rheumatoid Arthritis (inflammation).
17. Gastric carcinoma.
Symptoms of Osteoporosis:
Osteoporosis has no symptoms in the early stages and the following are some symptoms that appear later:
1. Severe bone pain.
2. Loss of height (curving of Spine).
3. Fractures with little trauma (As a result of falling).
4. Neck pain as a result of fractures of the spinal bones.
5. Dowager 's hump (Stooped posture or kyphosis).

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