Osteoporosis is a bone disease that affects both men and women. Fractures can happen as a consequence of osteoporosis, or bone weakening. Aging, being a woman, being underweight, having low sex hormones or going through menopause, smoking, and taking certain drugs are all major risk factors for osteoporosis. Vitamin D and calcium, exercise, and osteoporosis medicines are all used to avoid and cure osteoporosis.

Symptoms

Osteoporosis does not have any symptoms or danger signals in its initial stages. Most patients with osteoporosis are unaware of their disease until they suffer a fracture. Furthermore, if symptoms do emerge, the following are some of the more common ones:

• Gum recession
• Grip strength is diminished, and nails are weak and fragile.

If you’re not showing any symptoms but have a genetic history of osteoporosis, you should consult your doctor to determine your risk.

Treatment

If you have osteoporosis as a result of your tests, your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment regimen. Your doctor will most likely suggest medicine as well as modifications in your lifestyle. Boosting your calcium and vitamin D consumption, as well as obtaining enough exercise, are examples of these lifestyle modifications. Although osteoporosis has no cure, appropriate therapy can help to maintain and strengthen your bones. Additionally, these therapies can help delay the degradation of bone in your body, and some can even stimulate new bone formation.

Medications – Bisphosphonates are the most popular medications used to treat osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates are drugs that are used to prevent osteoporosis. They can be administered orally or intravenously. They are as follows:

• alendronate (Fosamax)
• risedronate (Actonel)
• ibandronate  (Boniva)
• zoledronic acid (Reclast)

Hormone therapy

Estrogen can allow women to maintain bone mass during and after menopause. Estrogen medication, however, has been associated with a higher risk of blood clots, cardiovascular disease, and certain kinds of cancer. Furthermore, in men testosterone therapy might help to maintain bone mass.

Natural Treatments

Several vitamins can assist enhance bone density, including red clover, soya, and black cohosh. An adequate diet, in complement to your treatment regimen, can assist build your bones.

Certain vitamins must be included in your regular diet to maintain your bones strong. Vitamin D and calcium are the most crucial. Calcium is required for strong bones, while vitamin D is required for calcium absorption. Protein, vitamin K, magnesium, and zinc are some of the other nutrients that enhance bone density.

Bone-building medications 

• Romosozumab (Evenity). This is the most recent bone-building treatment for osteoporosis. It is administered as a monthly injection at your doctor’s clinic and is only effective for one year.
• Teriparatide (Bonsity, Forteo). This potent medicine encourages new bone development and is comparable to parathyroid hormone. It’s injected under the skin once a day for up to 2 years.
• Another medicine related to the parathyroid hormone is abaloparatide (Tymlos). This medication is only good for 2 years.

Causes

Several medical problems, such as hyperthyroidism, can lead to osteoporosis. The use of some drugs is also included. Protracted oral or injectable corticosteroids like prednisone or cortisone are examples of these drugs. Human bones are constantly being renewed, with new bone being formed and old bone is decomposed. Furthermore, y our body generates new bone faster than it decomposes old bone when you’re young, so your bone density increases. This showed a decreasing trend after the early twenties, and most individuals reach their maximum bone mass by the age of thirty. Bone density is lost faster than it is formed as people grow older.

How prone you are to develop osteoporosis is largely determined by how much bone density you had as a child. Peak bone density varies by ethnic background and is largely hereditary. Hence, the more bone you have “in the body,” the less prone you are to acquire osteoporosis when you get older.

Diagnosis

A machine that employs low amounts of X-rays to assess the amount of minerals in your bones can be used to evaluate your bone mass. You lie on a cushioned table as a scanner travel over your body during this simple test. In most situations, only a few bones are examined, often those in the spine and hip.

Learn more about Dexa Scan

Bottom Line

Osteoporosis is a disease with devastating consequences. Fractures can result, which are severe, take a long time to recover, and can lead to other issues. For example, if you have a hip fracture, you may need to be in bed for a long time, which increases your risk of blood clots, pneumonia, and other illnesses. The excellent thing is that you can do a lot to prevent and cure osteoporosis, from eating well and exercising regularly to taking the correct drugs.

Consult your doctor if you believe you’re at risk for osteoporosis or have been diagnosed with it. They can help you develop a prevention or therapy strategy that will help you enhance your bone health and lower your risk of brittle bones and bone fractures.