Osteoporosis means “porous bone". Osteoporosis is a chronic metabolic disease which makes your bones fragile and more likely to break (fracture) causing chronic pain and weakness.
Bones most often affected by osteoporosis are the hips, spine and wrists, but the ribs and other bones are also at risk.
The reason why this condition is problematic is that many people don’t even know about this disease until they are diagnosed with a broken bone.
Any individual above the age of 60, must get themselves screened for the risk of Osteoporosis. The risk of osteoporosis is higher in women because women have smaller and thinner bones than men. There are also other factors that can increase a woman's risk of developing osteoporosis.
The risk of developing osteoporosis also increases as women age. In this article, we will discuss osteoporosis in women along with its causes, signs, symptoms, prevention, and treatment methods.
Diagnosis:
Osteoporosis is diagnosed based on the clinical history, a physical examination and a bone mineral density test.
The bone density test uses X Rays to look for signs of weakening bones and accordingly assign a “T-score”. T-score of -2.5 or less, indicates more chances of developing Osteoporosis. The higher the T-score, the healthier the bones.
Treatment:
There is no cure for osteoporosis, but the symptoms of the disease can be managed with prescription medications and lifestyle changes. The objective of treatment is to strengthen your bones to avoid fractures, and to prevent falls that could damage your bones.
Lifestyle changes:
Exercise can strengthen your bones and muscles and decrease your risk of falling. This may include strength training, weight lifting and weight bearing exercises like brisk walking and jogging.
Maintaining a healthy weight also helps to manage osteoporosis. Recession of smoking and reducing alcohol consumption can also improve bone strength.
Medicines:
The most commonly used medications for Osteoporosis for strengthening of bones are -
- Bisphosphonates — either taken as pills or injected once a year
- Denosumab — an injection given twice a year
- Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) — these are used to replace estrogen in post-menopausal women
- Teriparatide
Prevention:
Cessation of smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, Reducing alcohol intake, bone strengthening exercises, balance training and most importantly getting your Calcium and Vitamin D levels tested regularly can absolutely amplify your preventive streak.
Risk Factors:
A major risk factor is not having enough calcium to build new bone tissue. It is important to incorporate high-calcium foods in your daily diet. You also need vitamin D, because it helps your body absorb calcium.
- Deficiency of calcium and vitamin D
- Gastric bypass surgery (Due to reduced surface area, calcium absorbed from food reduces)
- A decrease in estrogen in women at the time of menopause and a decrease in testosterone in men as they age
- Being confined to a bed due to a prolonged illness (mostly affects bones in children)
- Having certain medical conditions that cause increased inflammation in the body
- Long-Term Medication Use - Over time, some medications can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis. These include corticosteroids (for over 3 months), blood thinners, anti-seizure medications, chemotherapy drugs, hormone treatments for prostate or breast cancer, and estrogen-blocking drugs.
- Absence of menstrual periods for long periods of time
- A family history of osteoporosis
- Drinking a large quantity of alcohol
- Low body weight
- Smoking
- Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa
- Certain ethnic groups have a higher rate of low bone mass
- Premature Ovarian Failure - Premature ovarian failure, or primary ovarian insufficiency, occurs when your ovaries stop functioning properly before you reach the age of 40
- Surgeries - Hysterectomy or Oophorectomy, surgeries to remove the uterus and the ovaries respectively, may increase the risk of osteoporosis
- Menopause - During menopause, levels of the hormone estrogen decrease in the body. Estrogen plays a role in the healthy functioning of the reproductive system. A decrease in estrogen also leads to an increase in osteoclasts, which are cells that break down bones. This leads to increased risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Women & Osteoporosis:
Osteoporosis is very common in women due to a variety of factors, including nutritional deficiencies, estrogen levels, lifestyle factors, etc.
The prevention of osteoporosis in women should start as early as possible. Young women and teens should implement certain lifestyle changes that can help them reduce their risk of developing osteoporosis and protect their bone health.
The first and most important thing to do at any age is to ensure optimal levels of calcium and vitamin D. This can be done by consuming foods that are high in both these nutrients and getting enough sunlight throughout your lifetime.