Introduction
In this essay I will be discussing the illness Osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a condition that affects the bones, causing them to become thin and weak.
Osteoporosis happens more commonly in old age when the body becomes less able to replace worn-out bone. Special cells within the bones, called living bone cells, are no longer able to break down old bone and renew it with healthy, dense new bone.
As you get older, you also lose a certain amount of bone, causing the bones to become thinner. The bones become fragile and more likely to break (fracture), particularly the bones of the spine, wrist and hips.
Bone is a living tissue that is constantly repairing itself. It is made of a hard outer shell, which contains a mesh of collagen (tough elastic fibres), minerals, blood vessels and bone marrow. This mesh looks a bit like a honeycomb, with spaces between the different parts. Healthy bones are very dense, and the spaces within bones are small. In bone affected by osteoporosis, the spaces are larger, making the bones weaker and less elastic.
Bones are repaired and reinforced by a range of proteins and minerals, which are absorbed from the bloodstream. They include calcium, phosphorus, proteins and amino acids. The growth of sex hormones controls the amount of mineral substance deposited in the bones. Changes in hormone levels can therefore affect the strength of the bones. For example, the female hormone oestrogen offers some protection against osteoporosis. After the menopause, oestrogen levels fall, often causing the bones to thin quickly.
Personal Experience of Osteoporosis
I met in my work Mary. The 67 older women with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis has been called ” silent diseause” and that was all too true in hers case.
She suffers from osteoporosis but she discovered it by chance. Many years was she very active person with multiple interests. She began suffering very strong back pain which forced her to reduce hers physical activity. Mary went to visit hers family doctor .He just prescribed some pain- killers and advised her change some habits. He suggested that is the “aging effect”.
For the next couple of years she fallowed all his indications but the pain was intense and hers activity kept reducing itself.
The doctor prescribed stronger painkillers, which reduce the pain but they also cause several secondary effects.
After 2 years the doctor told her that She should have a bone density test and thanks to that she became aware of hers illness.
Now Mary cannot walk without an orthopedic corset but she tries to make the effort an walk at least a few steps every day.
She shout be always careful, avoid the risk of fracturing or breaking a bone.
She has learned how to replace milk , which she doesn’t like at all, with yoghurt and cheese, and to complement those with daily supplements of calcium.
Symptoms
Osteoporosis can be present without any symptoms for decades because osteoporosis doesn't cause symptoms until bone fractures. Moreover, some osteoporotic fractures may escape detection for years when they do not cause symptoms. Therefore, patients may not be aware of their osteoporosis until they suffer a painful fracture. The symptom associated with osteoporotic fractures usually is pain; the location of the pain depends on the location of the fracture.
Fractures of the spine (vertebra) can cause severe "band-like" pain that radiates from the back to the sides of the body. Over the years, repeated spinal fractures can lead to chronic lower back pain as well as loss of height or curving of the spine due to collapse of the vertebrae. The collapse gives individuals a hunched-back appearance of the upper back, often called a "dowager hump" because it commonly is seen in elderly women.
A fracture that occurs during the course of normal activity is called a minimal trauma or stress fracture. For example, some patients with osteoporosis develop stress fractures of the feet while walking or stepping off a curb.
Hip fractures typically occur as a result of a fall. With osteoporosis, hip fractures can occur as a result of trivial accidents. Hip fractures also may heal slowly or poorly after surgical repair because of poor healing of the bone.
Diagnosis
A routine X-ray can reveal osteoporosis of the bone because the bones appear much thinner and lighter than normal bones. Unfortunately, by the time X-rays can detect osteoporosis, at least 30% of the bone has already been lost. In addition, X-rays are not accurate indicators of bone density. Thus, the appearance of the bone on X-ray often is affected by variations in the degree of exposure of the X-ray film.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation, the American Medical Association, and other major medical organizations recommend a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan (DXA, formerly known as DEXA) for diagnosing osteoporosis. DXA measures bone density in the hip and the spine. The test takes only five to 15 minutes to perform, exposes patients to very little radiation (less than one-tenth to one-hundredth of the amount used on a standard chest X-ray), and is quite precise.
The bone density of the patient is compared to the average peak bone density of young adults of the same sex and race. This score is called the "T score," and it expresses the bone density in terms of the number of standard deviations (SD) below peak young adult bone mass.
Osteoporosis is defined as a bone density T score of -2.5 or below.
Osteopenia (between normal and osteoporosis) is defined as bone density T score between -1 and -2.5.
It is important to note that while osteopenia is considered a lesser degree of bone loss than osteoporosis, it nevertheless can be of concern when it is associated with other risk factors (such as smoking, cortisone steroid usage, rheumatoid arthritis, family history of osteoporosis, etc.) that can increase the chances for developing vertebral, hip, and other fractures. In this setting, osteopenia may require medication as part of the treatment program.
Tretment
There are a number of different treatments available for osteoporosis.
Sunlight (in summer and spring) triggers the production of vitamin D, which then leads to more calcium being absorbed into your body. This process helps strengthen teeth and bones, which in turn helps to prevent conditions such as osteoporosis.
The genes determine the potential height and strength of your skeleton. However, lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise can influence how healthy your bones are and the rate at which they repair themselves. Following a healthy lifestyle throughout life is the best way to delay the onset of osteoporosis, and slow the rate at which your bones become fragile.
Regular exercise
Regular exercise is essential. We shout do at least 30 minutes of exercise, a minimum of three to four times a week. Two types of exercise are particularly important in improving bone density and helping prevent osteoporosis - weight-bearing exercise and resistance exercise.
Those over the age of 60 can also benefit from doing regular weight-bearing exercise. This can include brisk walking, keep-fit classes or a game of tennis. Swimming and cycling are not weight-bearing exercises.
Other lifestyle factors that can help prevent osteoporosis include:
eating a healthy diet that contains plenty of calcium - at least 700mg a day (equivalent to one pint of milk) Calcium and vitamin D supplements can be of benefit for older people, male and female, to reduce the risk of hip fracture. Having enough calcium in diet when you are young is important in minimising the risk, especially for women. They should aim to eat or drink 700mg of calcium each day, which is roughly equivalent to one pint of milk (preferably semi-skimmed). All people over the age of 65 should take a vitamin D supplement.
quitting smoking - cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis
limiting your alcohol intake - the recommended daily amount is three to four units for men and two to three units for women.
I know how important is Mary’s walking every day. Sun light triggers the production of vitamin D, which then leads to more calcium being absorbed into hers body. This process helps strengthen teeth and bones, which in turn helps to prevent conditions such as osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is an important public health issue.
One-third of hip-fracture patients are discharged to a nursing home within the year after fracture. Only one-third of hip-fracture patients regain their pre-fracture level of function.
The number of people with osteoporosis-related fractures will increase exponentially. The pain, suffering, and overall impact on health and economic.