| Osteoporosis is a disease that occurs because of | | | | people have the higher risk to suffer from |
| lessening bone density. This lessening happens slowly | | | | osteoporosis. |
| and progressively for years without any signs or | | | | How to Diagnose Osteoporosis |
| symptoms. That is why osteoporosis often said as a | | | | If someone, for example a 70 year-old lady has |
| silent disease. The symptoms will show up when the | | | | shown a symptom of osteoporosis such as bone |
| disease becomes worse, such as bone fracture, | | | | fracture, the diagnosis of osteoporosis will be |
| hunch back, losing body height, and back pain. | | | | confirmed based on the signs and symptoms she has |
| About 80 % of osteoporosis patients are women. It | | | | been experienced. The physician will also ask whether |
| has a correlation with the fact that women are | | | | she has the risk factors of osteoporosis. Then he |
| having menopause that cause them losing estrogen, | | | | she will do some physical examination and an x-ray |
| a hormone with a function to save calcium to the | | | | examination. Other examinations may be needed to |
| bone. But men can also suffer from osteoporosis. | | | | know another possibility of the fracture. |
| One of five men above 50 year-old suffers from this | | | | Early Screening of Osteoporosis |
| disease. | | | | I have mentioned above that osteoporosis is a silent |
| Causes and Risk Factors of Osteoporosis | | | | disease, so if you want to know whether you have |
| What is the actual cause of osteoporosis? Some | | | | this illness or not, you have to do a screening test. |
| factors play role in causing this disease. Here are | | | | The test has a goal to know the density of the bone |
| they: | | | | and to know how big the risk of having the disease |
| 1. Postmenopausal osteoporosis. This happens | | | | is. |
| because of decrease of estrogen, the main gonad | | | | Here are some screening tests to diagnose |
| hormone in a woman which has a function to store | | | | osteoporosis earlier: |
| calcium to the bone. | | | | 1. DXA (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) |
| 2. Senile osteoporosis, possibly because of lack of | | | | densitometer. It is a gold standard to diagnose |
| calcium intake during life. It has a correlation with age | | | | osteoporosis. This examination is painless and can be |
| and imbalance of bone destruction and formation. | | | | conducted within 5 to 15 minutes. It is a useful |
| 3. Secondary osteoporosis, caused by other medical | | | | diagnosis and screening test. It can be used to |
| condition or by drug induced. Osteoporosis may be | | | | confirm a doubtful diagnosis. It is useful for a woman |
| caused by chronic kidney disease, | | | | who has a high risk of osteoporosis and for a patient |
| hiperparathyroidism, long use of corticosteroids, | | | | in a therapy who needs an accurate assessment. |
| barbiturates, etc. Alcohol abuse and smoking may | | | | 2. USG (Ultrasonography) densitometer. This is the |
| worsen osteoporosis. | | | | common device to screen an osteoporosis. The |
| 4. Juvenile idiopathic osteoporosis, a kind of | | | | result of this test is being ranged called the T score: |
| osteoporosis with unknown cause. It attacks children | | | | - > -1: good bone density |
| and teenager with normal hormone level and function, | | | | - -2.5 to -1: osteopenia (less bone density) |
| normal vitamin and no exact cause of bone fragility. | | | | It is cheaper and more practical and also painless. |
| These are the risk factors: | | | | Therapy of Osteoporosis |
| 1. Woman. It has a correlation with the decrease of | | | | Therapy and medication of osteoporosis has a goal |
| estrogen (start from age 35) and menopause. | | | | to increase bone density, to lessen extra-fracture, |
| 2. Age. The older you are, the bigger the chance of | | | | and to control the pain. To determine the best |
| having osteoporosis. | | | | therapy includes multidisciplinary aspects. A team |
| 3. Race. The white and the Asian have the highest | | | | from surgery department, internal department, |
| risk. It is commonly because of the low consumption | | | | obstetric and gynecology department will be involved. |
| of calcium of Asian women. African and Hispanic have | | | | A clinical nutritionist should also be consulted. |
| lower risks. | | | | The therapy will be given appropriate with the |
| 4. Family history of osteoporosis. If one of your | | | | patient's need. If there is a bone fracture the doctor |
| relatives has an osteoporosis you have to be careful. | | | | will examine whether it needs a surgical treatment or |
| Osteoporosis attacks people with specific bone | | | | a splinting. After that, the patient should take |
| character, such as same bone structure in a family. | | | | physiotherapy to rehabilitate the bone ability. |
| 5. Bad lifestyle, includes: | | | | The pharmacological treatment will be needed to |
| - Excessive consumption of red meat and soft drinks. | | | | prevent another fracture. This can be given to the |
| Both of them contain phosphor that may stimulate | | | | patient who has not experienced fracture but has |
| the secretion of parathyroid hormone which causes | | | | osteoporosis, for example from a screening. Here are |
| release of calcium from bone to blood. | | | | the drugs: |
| - Caffeine and alcohol. They may cause bone fragile | | | | 1. Biphosphonate. This drug is useful to prevent bone |
| and damaged. Urine of one consuming caffeine or | | | | damage, to restore bone mass, and to increase bone |
| alcohol contains more calcium that comes from bone | | | | density especially of the back and the hip. Drugs |
| destruction. Besides, caffeine and alcohol is toxic | | | | include in this group are risendronate, alendronate, |
| which inhibit formation of bone mass. | | | | pamidronate, chlodronate, zoledronate (zoledronic |
| - Lazy doing sport. One who is lazy to move or to | | | | acid), and ibandronic acid. |
| do sport will cause inhibition of osteoblastic process. | | | | 2. Selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). It is |
| Movements and sports are good stimulation to bone | | | | a kind of hormone replacement therapy for a |
| formation. Lazy to move will also decrease bone | | | | postmenopausal woman. It is effective to decrease |
| density. | | | | bone turnover and to slow the resorption of bone |
| - Smoking. Nicotine can stimulate bone resorption. It | | | | mass. An example of SERM is raloxifene. |
| also decreases estrogen level and activity. | | | | 3. Vitamin D metabolites that is calcitriol and alpha |
| - Low blood calcium level. It will cause the body to | | | | calcidol. They have ability to help body absorbing |
| secrete hormones that cause the blood takes calcium | | | | calcium. |
| from other parts of the body including the bones. | | | | 4. Calcitonin. This drug is suggested to someone who |
| 6. Drug consumption. Corticosteroids used by asthma | | | | had spine fracture with pain. This drug can be |
| and allergic patients may inhibit bone formation. | | | | injected or can be given by nasal spray. |
| Heparin and anti-seizure drugs may do the same. | | | | 5. Strontium Ranelate. This drug improves bone |
| Consult to your doctor before using this kind of drug. | | | | formation by activating osteoblast and by forming |
| 7. Thin and tiny. This body posture tends to make | | | | collagen and also decrease bone resoprtion by |
| body lighter. Bones are diligent to form cells if they | | | | lowering osteoclast activity. |
| are pressed by heavy bodyweight. So, thin and tiny | | | | |