What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis causes your bones to degrade and become brittle and weak. Bones are living tissue that must continually produce healthy, new bone cells to replace the old or dead cells eliminated from the body. Contrary to osteoarthritis, patients with osteoporosis experience no pain.
Our bones are at their densest and strongest at about age 20. Women start losing bone density as early as their late 20’s at which point bone mass begins to decrease. When you have osteoporosis, your body’s production of new bone cells is so slow that it can’t keep up with the loss of old cells, which makes your bones porous and fragile.
Untreated osteoporosis can lead to severe complications:
- Hip fractures (usually as a result of a fall)
- Spinal fractures (even without falling)
- Lost height
- A curved or hunched spine
What are the risks for osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis affects men and women across all ethnic backgrounds and ages. However, you’re at higher risk for osteoporosis when you’re:
- Over 50 years old
- Female
- Smoker
- Diagnosed with thyroid disorder
- Using steroids
- Postmenopausal
- From a family that has a history of osteoporosis
The following conditions or habits can increase your risk for osteoporosis:
- Smoking
- Drinking alcohol excessively
- Not getting sufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin D, and other essential nutrients
- Having a sedentary lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, or an eating disorder
- Using hormone-reducing therapies or having naturally low sex hormone levels
- Past gastrointestinal surgery
How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
Osteoporosis usually doesn’t have symptoms, other than lost height, pain, or a curved spine. When you’re over age 50, Dr. Kermani recommends a bone-density test to determine if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia (a precursor condition).
How is osteoporosis treated?
Depending on the results of your bone-density tests, Dr. Kermani may recommend:
- Calcium supplements
- Vitamin D supplements
- Bone-building medications
- Exercise
- Dietary modifications, including eating calcium-rich foods such as leafy green vegetables, dairy products, and bone-in sardines
If you’re over age 50, have symptoms of osteoporosis, or have a family history of the disease, contact Dr. Kermani and his caring staff for a consultation and a bone-density test. You can reach the office by phone.
