Description of osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a metabolic disease of bone tissue, which results in depletion of bone mass and decreased overall quality of the bone.
Affected bones become little resistance to mechanical influences and decreases their flexibility and strength. This bone loss brings with risk of fractures even at minimum power developed.
With a convenient and unhealthy lifestyles, the number of affected increases sharply in the Czech Republic is estimated to be 850 000. The illness thus acquired the infamous nickname “the silent epidemic of the 21st century”.
Cause and risk factors for osteoporosis
Thinning of bone tissue is a natural process associated with aging body. There are so factors that influence can and those which can have no influence.
Although it seems unfair, osteoporosis affects women up to 3 times more often than men. In older men, of course, can also develop, but its course is not as serious as in women because men have greater bone density.
One of the most common reasons osteoporosis in women is considered postmenopausal estrogen decline. Over the next five years after menopause a woman can lose up to a fifth of all bone mass.
Here are some other uncontrollable factors that can help developing osteoporosis:
- broken bones before the 50th year of life caused by the fragility of bones
- Genetic factors: femoral neck fractures a parent
- white race
- Premature menopause (ie. before 45.rokem)
- menstrual cycle disorders
- reduce the level of the hormone testosterone in men
- the use of steroids and other medicines that suppress seizures, heparin, longer treatment with thyroxine
- diabetes (diabetes mellitus)
- rheumatoid arthritis
- surgical removal of ovaries
- hematological disorders (malignant myeloma, leukemia)
- serious digestive disorders leading to poor absorption of food nutrients
- more severe disease (Cushing’s disease, Crohn’s disease, diseases of muscle
groups)
There are of course also many factors that influence you and depends only on you what you want to take the risk.
If you consume a diet low in vitamins, you invite a problem. Vitamin D and calcium are necessary for proper bone development.
Risk is also a strong smoking, alcoholism and excessive intake of coffee.
Also, sedentary work and the lack of movement belongs to the proven risks.
Another group at risk are people with low body weight (BMI under 19), or even with anorexia.
Signs and symptoms of osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a “silent thief” nepřezdívá accident. People ignore incipient symptoms, and therefore generally diagnosed until the more serious difficulties such as fractures. But it is not a disease that can be understood only by typical symptoms. However, some problems can be a guide for proper and early diagnosis.
The first symptoms may be sharp pain in the back. These pains can, however, be misleading and associated with many other diseases.
Random osteoporosis can be detected by X-rays of teeth.
Typical is also a reduction in stature of about 3 cm and rounded back.
Nejznatelnějším symptoms are not caused by fractures with minimal violence. Eg. To rupnutí femoral neck when landing, breaking his wrist in a slap on board or putting us in a bad crunches in the back. However fracture affected may not even realize.
At the wrist is painful swelling in the hip fracture almost impossible to clamp down again and the leg may be shortened.
examination of osteoporosis
If you suspect that you might suffer from osteoporosis is you, do not hesitate to go to their GP orgynecologist.
It is advisable to see a doctor but also as a precaution, if you develop any of these risk factors.Surely you perform preventive examinations and recommends regular checks.
It should be examined every after breaking a bone without much violence.
Confirm or refute osteoporosis can be in X-ray examination. It is not commonly used because it reveals a disease only when bone loss by one third. Initiation of treatment should definitely be sooner.
The doctor will surely sends a so-called. Denziometrii, which is performed at the radiology department. Examination is used to determine the amount of minerals and to determine bone density. It is also based on X-rays, but the display is more accurate.
Lumbar vertebra are often examined by computed tomography (CT).
Safe examination also provides an ultrasound.
For your information the methods used to determine the amount of bone mineral:
DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) – currently about most frequently used method, the advantage is low radiation exposure.
QCT (Quantitative Computed Tomography) – used for the lumbar spine and the femoral head, but is a higher degree of radiation.
QUS (quantitative ultrasonometrie) – provides information on the quality of the bone structure and on the basis of ultrasound. The advantage is zero radiation burden.
treatment of osteoporosis
In revealing the initial stage of osteoporosis, it will probably be recommended basic regime measures and supplementing your diet.
If it revealed a more serious stage of the disease, can do your treatment without drugs. They are used bisphosphonates, which promote bone formation.
Most likely it will be prescribed the hormone calcitonin, which increases the deposition of minerals in the body that promotes bone cells. You can also use special tablets containing calcium.
Women may be recommended by a gynecologist and hormone therapy, which not only fights osteoporosis, but it is able to relieve physical and mental problems during menopause. It uses just the estrogen that menopause negatively affected. The length of treatment generally does not exceed 5 years.
Preventing osteoporosis
The most important point in the prevention of osteoporosis are well boned thirty years of our lives.Therefore, it places great emphasis on a healthy diet with plenty of necessary vitamins andminerals.
How can I help myself
Your health can affect adequate exercise and appropriate diet.
You should focus primarily on the recommended intake of vitamins that can help not only osteoporosis, but can also be its prevention. More than a recommended daily dose is not better.
The recommended daily dose of vitamins:
Calcium: 500 mg two times a day (during meals)
Vitamin D: 10 mg two times a day (especially important in winter)
Magnesium: 250 mg two times a day (during meals)
boron: 3 mg per day
Vitamin C: 500 mg 2 times a day
Manganese: 10 mg 2 times a day
Zinc, Copper, B6, folic acid …
Do not be afraid of sunshine, of course, to a reasonable extent. Already after 15 minutes the sun will greatly enhance the production of vitamin D, important for bone development.
Diet
Very important calcium you get from milk, for example, dairy products, broccoli, kale, figs, almonds, soy, nuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, cocoa, sunflower seeds, eggs, sardines or milk chocolate.
It is not enough just to increase calcium intake is important while reducing the intake of foods that limit the absorption of calcium. These include animal protein (eggs, meat), excess sugar, coffee, flour, spinach and almonds.
With help fight osteoporosis also garlic and onions contain sulfur is essential for bone health.
Treat yourself to a tea of horsetail and nettle twice daily.
Suitable are celery, carrot and lemon juice.
Movement
Of course do not forget the regular exercise! Not only can improve the quality of the bone, but it is also beneficial to the vascular system, lungs, brain and waistline.
Due to exercise the brain receives its legal drugs, hormones of happiness – endorphins that act against depression. Research has shown that sport promotes the effects of drugs. It also improves coordination and thus decreasing the likelihood of falls, where it threatened to fracture.
What sporting activity is therefore the right one for you?
The basis should be a regular brisk walk. If you are going to run on natural surfaces such as a meadow or forest road is really the most natural movement. Try it on a day to dedicate at least 30 minutes.
Very useful is swimming. It strengthens almost all muscles of the body, while almost does not burden the bone. Remember to rotate the position of the body when swimming, for example, from the style of breasts move to the character style, alternated to all muscle groups.
If you tend to household type, try a regular workout. You will surely find your favorite exercises.
Of course there are many other physical activities, from which you can choose. If the death of hate swimming, you can replace it with mushroom picking or work in the garden. It is important, however, to reduce the risk of falls and subsequent fractures. Therefore avoid various jumps and impacts.
Similar symptoms of osteoporosis may have
Back pain may occur in diseases of the heart, in disorders of the vascular system, in inflammation, in damage to the nerves or muscles.
complications of osteoporosis
Frequent fractures with minimal violence, for example, may cause problems with walking or writing.
1 out of 5 women subject has experienced an osteoporotic vertebral fracture suffer further fracture within 1 year.
Severe femoral neck fractures can attract ill for an extended period of time in bed. Very hip fractures are unfortunately cause of 10-20% of deaths.
Vertebral fractures can result in damage to the spinal nerves and disrupt the momentum.
Excessive curvature of the spine can lead to breathing difficulties.
Osteoporosis increases mortality within 5 years up to 20%.
Test to calculate the risk of osteoporosis:
1. Are you male / female?
2nd Have you ever suffered a fracture caused by a small force?
3rd Decreases in your height of 3 cm or more?
He was the fourth one of your parents fracture of the femoral neck or even for any of them occurs osteoporosis?
5th Do you drink more than one drink?
6th day do you smoke more than 15 cigarettes?
7th You were a long time treated with medicines suppressing seizures, heparin, thyroxine or corticosteroid?
8. If you are a woman, you’ve gone through menopause?
If you answered 2-8 questions mostly yes and you’re a woman, it’s time to start on the disease of interest. This may tempt even about you.
Other names: osteoporosis, postmenopausal osteoporosis, senile osteoporosis, a silent thief, the silent epidemic of the 21st century