This condition weakens all the bones, making them fragile and susceptible to breaking. One depressing fact about this condition is that you can live with this condition unknowingly for a long time and when symptoms appear, it is often too late. In fact, over 60% of people live with this condition. This weakness in bone structure can become so severe to a point where just a fall can lead to injuries. This is especially true when the condition has taken a toll on the life of the individual.
Causes
The real cause of osteoporosis, cannot be explained but can be influenced by your bone mass. Our bones are in constant renewal from childhood. Our bones are recreated over and over again but as the year’s progress, bone mass is lost faster than it is created. This happens when we hit early 20’s and it can even get worse if you had acquired little bone mass in your youth. The higher your bone mass, the less likelihood of developing this condition but if you have less bone mass then you have a greater chance of developing this condition. Though this is true, other risks of developing this condition include, genetics, age, poor diet, poor lifestyle choices, chronic illnesses and certain medications like chemotherapy.
When age or genetics is a factor, then little can be done, unlike poor lifestyle where one can easily change their lifestyle and become better.
Symptoms
Like we said earlier, people can live for a long time with this condition unknowingly. In fact, when signs and symptoms start to appear most of our bone mass has already been lost. The most common and noticeable symptom that can be observed is when you fall or injure yourself and get a fractured bone. Other characterized symptom is a constant pain in specific locations like the hips, waist, hip joints and the back where your spine is located. Loss of height or a curving vertebrae can be a sign that the disease is taking its toll on your bone mass. Other possible early signs can be ruled out when you find yourself getting injured or hurt easily even with a tiny slip from a staircase.
Treatment options
Treating this condition depends on one thing; the cause. When your condition is as a result of factors that can be easily reversed, then you can help improve or diminish this condition over time. For example, if poor diet or poor lifestyle choices like smoking is a cause, then taking the right measures like eating right foods especially foods rich in calcium and vitamin D can help increase bone mass. On the other hand, if smoking or lack of exercise is a cause, quiting and start a workout regime can help rebuild your muscle structure preventing bone loss.
In cases where your condition is as a result of genetics, race or medication consulting a doctor on the way forward could be your best option.
Dealing with this condition is very tough if you have no control of the cause but if the cause is as a result of your own life mistakes, then healing is possible. The rule of the thumb in keeping this condition at bay is maintaining a healthy diet and being active no matter your age or gender.