What is Osteoperosis?Osteoporosis, meaning porous bone, is a disease consisting of low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue, leading to fragility and increased risk of fracture. It is also called 'the silent' thief because it occurs without symptoms. The most common fractures occur in the hips, wrist and spine. Hip fractures most often require surgery and hospital stays. Spinal fractures can result in loss of height. Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis then men. Fifty-five percent of people over the age of fifty are at risk to develop osteoporosis. Of the estimated ten million Americans diagnosed with osteoporosis, eight million are women. Without getting tested, most people do not realize they have osteoporosis until they sustain a fracture or a vertebral collapse. Risk factors, which increase the chances of developing osteoporosis, include:
Post menopausal women can lose up to twenty percent of their bone mass in the first five to seven years after menopause. One of the easiest and most effective ways to detect osteoporosis is with a specialized test known as a Bone Mineral Density test, which we offer as an in-office appointment at GVG. Other types of treatment include:
Prevention is the best course of action to avoid osteoporosis. By the age of twenty, you have acquired ninety-eight percent of your skeletal mass. Keep calcium and Vitamin D in your diet, don't smoke or drink alcohol excessively, exercise - including weight bearing, get tested, and talk to your doctor if you think you may be at risk. The most important thing to remember about osteoporosis is that it can be prevented. |