Osteoporosis

Lesson 1: Important Basics

Some 1.5 million fractures occur every year as a result of osteoporosis. Many people sustaining fractures, especially of the wrist, are not aware that they may have this "silent" disease.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a silent disease in which one's bones become fragile and break easily. It is called a silent disease because in its early stages the person is unaware of its presence--that is, until a fracture occurs. It is not uncommon for a wrist fracture to be the first observable clinical indication of osteoporosis. Wrist fracture, though usually the first, is followed by fractured ribs, vertebrae (bones which make up the spine), and hip. Hip fractures are more common in women than in men, but the mortality rate for hip fracture is higher in men than in women. The high risk for hip fracture in women is equal to a combined risk for uterine, ovarian, and breast cancer.

I have counted a minimum of 26 definitions of osteoporosis on the Internet. None are wrong and all are right:

• a progressive disease
• a disease of brittle bones, and less dense bones
• thinning of bone tissue
• disease in which bones become porus, and fracture
• disease occurring in post menopausal women due to a drop in estrogen levels in the body
• a condition in which the bones of the spine break easily causing a curvature, or deformity of the spine from vertebral collapse
• a disease which causes atrophy of bone tissue
• a disease stemming from the loss of calcium from bone
• a disease characterized by loss of mineral content in the body
• a skeletal disorder

. . .and, there are others. The important thing is that in these definitions of what osteoporosis is, we are given a glimpse of the quality of one's life being seriously compromised if osteoporosis is not diagnosed and treated early.

Osteoporosis is a major health risk for some 28 million Americans. In the United States alone 10 million individuals are suffering from the life-altering effects of this disease, while 18 million others have low bone mass levels which place them at great risk. No ethnic background is safe.

There are three basic causative factors for osteoporosis:

• a greater than normal bone loss at menopause for women, or through the normal process of aging for both sexes.
• secondary bone loss associated with certain other diseases, disorders in eating, and some medications
• poor bone growth in childhood and adolescence

To understand what osteoporosis is through a few basic facts is just the beginning, but beginnings are always important. Coming up next are risk factors for osteoporosis. Please remember, this is for information only. Be sure to check with your personal physician regarding any area of concern.

Sources

Osteoporosis: Background. Read about what it is.

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