Effects Of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is defined as a medical condition in which the bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue. One could use the word osteopenia in the place of osteoporosis; however, not every person diagnosed with osteopenia will develop osteoporosis. Osteopenia is a condition having to do with reduced bone mass due to the decrease in the rate of osteoid synthesis (organic material of bone) to the level insufficient to compensate normal bone declination. Basically, osteopenia is the decreased calcification or density of bone. The medical abbreviation for osteoporosis is OP. Older women are more susceptible to this condition because the older a woman becomes, the less estrogen she will produce. When women’s estrogen levels are declining,

Age is by far the leading cause of osteoporosis. Debra Stang states that “Throughout your life, your body breaks down old bone and grows new bone”(Stang, 2017). When a person’s body begins aging and becomes weakened around mid 30s, the body starts to break down bone much faster than it is able to create it. This major factor that aids this condition causes the bones to become very low in density, and thus raises the possibilities of more breaks. Menopause is also a primary component in causing osteoporosis. Menopause takes place in women who are around the ages of forty-five to fifty-five years old. Associated with this normal process in women is the uncontrollable changing of hormone levels which can cause quicker bone loss. Men, obviously, do not experience menopause, but they do lose bone at the same age; just not as fast as women do. However, as soon as men reach between the ages of sixty-five and seventy, both men and women are usually experiencing bone loss at the same rate. Other causes of osteoporosis are medical conditions or medications. One specific medical condition is hyperthyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid overproduces hormones. Certain medications include prednisone, an oral tablet that helps reduce inflammation (swelling or irritation) in the body, and cortisone, also an oral tablet which is used to treat a variety of

In the early stages of bone loss, there are typically no symptoms or warning signs for that matter. In many instances, older people with osteoporosis do not even realize that they have the condition until they break or fracture a bone. Once the bones have been worn down from osteoporosis, certain signs and symptoms will start to arise. The symptoms are as follows: receding gums, weakened grip strength, weak and brittle nails, back pain caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra, loss of height over time, a stooped posture, or a bone fracture that occurs much more easily than expected. Anyone who is experiencing, has experienced, or has a family history known for having osteoporosis should talk to their doctor before this condition takes control of their body. This is not something that should be taken lightly but should be treated as soon as the symptoms become