What is Osteoporosis?

About Osteoporosis:

• Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens your bones.
• It makes your bones thinner and less dense than they should be.
• People with osteoporosis are much more likely to experience broken bones (bone fractures).
• Most people don’t know they have osteoporosis until it causes them to break a bone.
• Osteoporosis can make any of your bones more likely to break, but the most commonly affected bones include your:
  • Hips (hip fractures).
  • Wrists.
  • Spine (fractured vertebrae).
• What causes osteoporosis?
  • Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced.
  • Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn't keep up with the loss of old bone.
• Symptoms:
  • Osteoporosis doesn’t have symptoms the way lots of other health conditions do. That’s why healthcare providers sometimes call it a silent disease.
  • The most common “symptom” is suddenly breaking a bone, especially after a small fall or minor accident that usually wouldn’t hurt you.
  • Once your bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, you might have signs and symptoms that include:
• Back pain, caused by a broken or collapsed bone in the spine.
• Loss of height over time.
• A stooped posture.
• A bone that breaks much more easily than expected.
• Treatment: Treatment for osteoporosis may involve:
  • Making lifestyle changes, such as changing your diet and exercise routine
  • Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements
  • Using medicines to strengthen bones

Q1: What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children, and bone pain caused by a condition called osteomalacia in adults.

Source: TH