What Is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease or condition. It occurs when:

• The body loses too much bone
• The body makes too little bone
• Both situations happen simultaneously

Due to the condition, the bones become weak. As a result, they can break easy in case of a fall or even a hard bump against something.

When the condition is very serious, the bones can break from minor bumps and simple activities like sneezing.

Osteoporosis is a condition of porous bones where there are large holes and spaces in the bones unlike those in a healthy bone. The bones lose mass and contain abnormal tissue structure. The more the bones become less dense, the more they are likely to break.

According to statistics, 54 million people suffer from osteoporosis in the US. Of this population, 1.5 million will succumb to bone fractures due to the condition. Furthermore, women above the age of 50 are the most vulnerable to develop the condition and can experience up to 58% loss in bone mass. One in two women and one in four men of age 50 and above will develop osteoporosis.

What Is The Cause Of Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis can be caused by various medical conditions and procedures including:

• Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis
• Digestive and gastrointestinal disorders like celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease and weight loss surgery
• Medical procedures like gastrectomy and gastrointestinal bypass procedures
• Cancer like breast and prostate cancer
• Blood disorders like leukemia, multiple myeloma and sickle cell disease
• Nervous system disorders like stroke, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis
• Blood and bone marrow disorders
• Mental illness
• Hormonal disorders like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, irregular periods, premature menopause
• Other diseases and conditions like HIV/AIDS, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, polio, malnutrition, scoliosis etc.

These conditions increase the risks of developing osteoporosis. There are other causes of osteoporosis, like medications on occasion can have negative side effects to bones. There are certain medications that are harmful to the bones especially if they are taken over a long period of time.

Some of these medications are like aluminum-containing antacids, anti-seizure medication, etc.

Other Risk Factors In Developing Osteoporosis Include

• Female gender
• Caucasian or Asian race
• Small body frame
• Family history of osteoporosis
• A previous fracture
• Cigarette smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Lack of exercise
• Low calcium
• Poor nutrition
• Low estrogen in women
• Low testosterone in men
• Inherited disorders

The First Sign of Osteoporosis

A person can have osteoporosis for years without really realizing that they do. This is because the condition is only discovered until a bone breaks. Even with this, there are osteoporosis fractures that escape detection for a long time. It is common to find that patients do not know they have osteoporosis until they suffer from a painful fracture.

Pain in the area of the fracture is the main symptom of osteoporosis. When the fracture occurs on the spine, then the result is a severe pain that radiates from the back to the sides of the body.

Osteoporosis is chronic and can lead to lifelong pain and hence there are no complete cures to the condition.

Osteoporosis Home Care Assistance In Wichita, KS – Call (316) 691-5050

Are you or a loved one suffering from the effects of Osteoporosis to the point at which you think you might want some help with your daily activities? Progressive Care is one of the top rated home care agencies in the Wichita Valley in Kansas. We cover the entire Wichita metro area and put our caregivers through a rigorous evaluation before hiring them. If you think you or someone else may want or need assistance, please feel free to give us a call at (316) 691-5050.