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About Osteoporosis, A Holistic Approach |
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 Osteoporosis is a serious medical problem that affects a significant number of both women and men. Both woman and men can develop osteoporosis, and therefore both must take positive actions to first prevent and then, if and when osteoporosis does occur, to reverse it. One of the main problems in doing this is finding the exact right information to help them personally. That is, finding the exact right information to help them to first preventive and then, if needed, reverse bone loss. In the following series of articles we hope to 1) explain what osteoporosis is, 2) tell you how it could affect you, if you are prone to it, 3) help you to prevent it from occurring, and 4) if are already experiencing osteoporosis, help you to slow it down and, if possible, reverse existing bone loss.
Our first task is: 1) to explain what osteoporosis is so that you understand what you are dealing with, why it may be occurring and what you can do about it. 2) Our next task will be helping you to understand how and when should start the prevention process, 3) Following this our next task will be to provide the appropriate information for your personal needs and to help you create the exact right solutions to fit your personal needs. 4) Finally, finding the right physician and help to assist you in accomplishing your goals. We will cover each of these issues in the course of this series of this series of articles.
What is Osteoporosis and Osteopenia?
As women (and men) age, there are many factors and forces that cause their bones to demineralize. As bones demineralize they tend to lose strength and flexibility (see Figure 1). As skeletal bones demineralize, they become brittle, soft and are at increased risk for breaking and even shattering. Not all bones demineralize evenly some will demineralize more than other. The earliest stage of demineralization is often referred to as osteopenia. Osteopenia if not corrected can eventually progress in to full fledged osteoporosis.
Figure 1
When an osteoporotic fracture occurs, the affected person will likely suffer pain, loss of mobility and loss of ability to function normally. In certain situations, once a bone has fractured, the individual is at increased risk for developing blood clots and embolisms (blood clots which travel to the heart, lungs, brain or other areas of the body). When blood clots are created and travel to the lungs, heart or brain, they can then cause a pulmonary embolism, a heart attack, a stroke, or even death. Even if this does not happen, fractures can be so severe or in such crucial areas as to result in permanent disability, chronic pain, and need to be wheel chair bound or require living in a long term facility or to become house-bound.
In the very best of situations, after suffering a fracture, the best result is a complete resolution and healing. At worst as stated above, osteoporosis can end up disfiguring its victim (the so-called Dowager Hump, see Figure 2), cause loss of bone tissue, loss of height, collapse of the spinal vertebrae, spinal vertebral fractures, and chronic pain.
Figure 2
The positive message we wish to present is that you can with diligence, desire and hard work prevent osteoporosis from occurring. Of osteoporosis is already present, that you can limit the extent to which it can affect you personally. Finally, if you start early enough and you are aggressive enough bone loss can be reversed and osteoporotic bones can be remineralized and healed.
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones. People with osteoporosis have bones that are weak and can break easier than those who do not have osteoporosis. Breaking a bone, such as a hip, leg, ankle, wrist or any bones of the spine, can significantly affect your life. It can leave you with severe pain and possibly even disabled. It could make it extremely difficult to perform daily tasks on your own, such as walking, shopping, lifting, bending or even driving.
The main problem with osteoporosis is that bone minerals, especially calcium is leached out of the bone by a number of factors which we will discuss in depth below. If the individuals diet is low or deficient in calcium, or high in other competing minerals or chemicals, calcium may not be available to be used by the bones in the natural process of bone rebuilding and replacing bone that has been lost or broken down naturally. Hence, the individual’s bone weakens, becomes spongy, hence reducing its ability to protect itself from fractures. On a daily basis bone is being broken down and replaced. This is a normal phenomenon. When all factors are right the bone that has been removed is replaced by bone of equal strength or stronger. With osteoporosis this does not happen the bone may not be replaced and if it is the replacement bone may actually be weaker and more brittle. (See Figure 1)
The goal of osteoporosis treatment is not simply to lay down more bone, but rather to lay down more stronger bone then was there before, so that fractures are less likely to occur.
How Likely Am I To Be Affected?
Current statistics suggest that some 25-30 million American women are already suffering from osteoporosis. Generally, osteoporosis is most likely to occur in women who are fair skinned and have light-colored hair. It also more common in women who already have a family history of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is also more common in women whose family origins are from the British Isles, Northern Europe, China or Japan, women who are small boned, are over 35 years of age. Women who have had their ovaries removed, who have breast-fed babies or whose diet is low in calcium or magnesium, are also at higher risk.
Osteoporosis occurs more commonly in both men and women who are chronically stressed, who smoke, drink, more than the occasionally amounts of alcohol, who get little exercise, who regularly consume soda pop or a high protein diet. Another important group are those women and men who suffer from an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.
Regardless of these factors, osteoporosis can occur in any woman or man, whether or not they exhibit any of the above high risk factors or negative behaviors. These high risk factors and behaviors are simply advance indicators of the increased risk for the possibility of developing osteoporosis. They can help us to recognize persons at risk and to a limited degree, help us decide a specific individual’s level of risk. These risk factors do not however, tell for sure who will, without a question, develop osteoporosis.
It is estimated that somewhere between 35% and 40% of all women will eventually develop osteoporosis. It is also estimated that each year more than 1,300,000 women will suffer from fractures as a result of osteoporosis. The incidence of fractures of the spine due to osteoporosis is estimated at nearly 500,000 women each year. It is estimated that some 250,000 women will develop fractures of one or the other, or both hips in any one year. Besides these a large number of women will suffer fractures of one or the other wrist, as well as fractures of other areas of the body, forearm, legs, toes, hands and so on. This means that nearly 1out of every 6 women will experience a fracture of either their wrists or hips and 1out of every 4 women will suffer a spinal fracture. Taking all Americans into consideration, there is a 15% life time risk for women and a 5% lifetime risk for men for developing osteoporosis. The risk for women developing osteoporosis is equal to the combined risks for all women developing breast, uterine and/or ovarian cancers.
Approximately 39% of osteoporotic fractures occur in women between ages of 50 and 60. By age 75, the incidence rises to nearly 84% of women at risk. Of those women who survive after a major fracture, between 25% and 35% will be limited and in someway dependent forced to use a walker, crutches, cane or wheel chair or will require long term care or institutionalization. The total number of women whose lives and goals will be shattered cannot even be estimated. Of the 1out of every 6 women who will suffer a hip fracture, approximately one-third will die within the first six months after that fracture as a consequence of their fracture.
Bone Mineral Density Testing
Often the only way if an individual is at risk for osteoporosis (that is, before them fracturing a bone) is by determining whether they have a loss of bone density over an extended period of time. The most effectively way of determining this is by performing bone mineral density testing every two years. We will talk about bone mineral density testing in greater detail later on. Women and men who do not undergo bone mineral density testing may learn that they have osteoporosis for the first time only when a fracture occurs. Obviously, by the time this happens, it is often too late to either prevent or regain sufficient bone tissue to protect them from having the fracture in the first place. Prevention is the smartest thing anyone can do. Having biyearly bone mineral density testing is essential tho help guide you to a happy and healthier future.
While it may be too late to prevent a fracture after it has already happened, it is not the end, under certain circumstances, bone loss can be reversed and new bone can be generated even after advanced osteoporosis has occurred. While bone can be replaced and added, this requires a great deal of hard work and effort on the part of the person who is being treated. In most situations, without special treatment, once bone is lost, it is gone forever. If prevention is not started by the mid forties, most women and men, can lose substantial amounts of bone by 70 years of age.
To Read Article #2 The Effects of Osteoporosis, click here.
To Read Article #3 The Standard Western Medical Approach to Preventing and Treating Osteoporosis, click here.
To Read Article #4 Alternative Approach to Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis, click here.
To Read Article #5 Important Questions You May Have About Osteoporosis, click here.
To Read Article #6 Bisphosphonates: Risks and Benefits, click here.
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