In a time when every single person has become health conscious, we are being bombarded with new diseases and illnesses to deal with everyday. Many of these illnesses are women-centric and create more problems for them with each day. One such disease is that of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis in women is very dangerous and affects a very large part of the population. It is seen in every country and demographic above a certain age.
Osteoporosis is a very serious disease of the bones that makes them fragile and easy to break. In the event of something as small as a little misstep can lead to a serious fracture which takes a very long time to heal fully, if at all. It makes the bones porous and devoid of calcium that makes them stronger. It is a devastating disease to have, but thankfully is preventable to large degree if measures against it are put into place.
The disease occurs when the body goes into an imbalance between the process of creation of new bone and the absorption of the old bone tissue. If the body creates too less of new bone or absorbs too much of the new bone, it leads to osteoporosis in the body. This occurs due to the shortage of calcium and phosphates in the body. Because of this, the bones simply become weaker as time goes by and the loss of calcium and phosphate in the later years does not do them much good. This disease is seen frequently in women in ages above 60. It is also related to thyroid problems, cancer and genetic disorders.
The symptoms of osteoporosis are very difficult to diagnose in the early stages. They come in the form of general body aches, dull pains in various joints and occasional problems in muscle usage. Later on in the disease, sharp lower back pain and neck pain is an indicator of osteoporosis. Other than these, the slow healing of a broken bone is one of the warning signs for the onset of osteoporosis in women. During the worse part of the disease, sharp pains move all over the body and most areas become tender to touch. There is also a loss in the height of the person, which happens to due to compression of the spine and leads a permanently stooping posture.
The treatment for osteoporosis is easy to implement at younger ages than after the age of 60. The best way to avoid it all together is to have a nutritious diet, full of calcium, iron and phosphate. Exercise and lifestyle changes are another factor in bringing about a cure for the illness. Moderate exercise from an early age will prevent the bones from becoming brittle due to lack of use. The muscles will also stay strong, keeping the bones in line. When diagnosed with the disease, it is best to consult a specialist in the field of bones and start a rigorous regime of self improvement and successfully battle osteoporosis in women.
