What is osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is invisible. That is, until a bone breaks, it does not show any symptoms. In a person with the disease, a simple fall from a low height, a sudden rotation, rapid bending or straightening, or even falling into a small hole can cause a bone fracture.

Osteoporosis is a disease in which your bones become hollow, weak and brittle, and as a result, the risk of spontaneous bone fractures increases. In the world over the age of 50, one in three women and one in five One man has the disease.

Although osteoporosis is a painless disease, the resulting fractures can cause serious changes in life. When osteoporosis affects the spine, it often leads to pain, weight loss, and a hump in the back. Fractures occur in the pelvis, spine, wrist, or upper arm.

The pain of fractures can affect a person's life. Dependence on caregivers, reduced daily activities, and ultimately depression are the most common of these effects. And in working people, a fracture causes a large number of work days to be lost, and in some professions, it interferes with a person's continued work.

Thirty-three percent of patients with osteoporotic pelvic fractures become fully dependent or stay in nursing homes within a year, and 20 to 24 percent die the same year.

People over the age of 60 are more likely to develop osteoporosis. This does not mean that younger people are not at risk for the disease. The onset of menopause in women initiates bone weakness. For this reason, women should think about maintaining the density and health of their bones from a young age.
Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, breast or prostate cancer or gastrointestinal diseases, long-term use of glucocorticoids such as hydrocortisone, height reduction of up to 4 cm, bone fractures after the age of 50, sedentary lifestyle and no physical activity Being underweight (body mass index below 19), smoking or drinking alcohol, premature menopause, a history of pelvic fracture or osteoporosis in parents, low calcium intake and prolonged exposure to the sun are the main risk factors for osteoporosis or Fractures caused by it.

A bone health test, which typically includes the risk of bone fractures, determines how much you are at risk for osteoporosis. The most common method is to determine the amount of bone density scan or measure the amount of X-ray absorption. In this fast and less invasive scan, bone density in the pelvis and spine is assessed. The results of this test show how much you are or are at risk for osteoporosis. If the results of the scan show osteoporosis, it means that you are at serious risk of fracture.

Patients who are at high risk for osteoporotic fractures can reduce this risk with appropriate medication. There is a wide range of treatment options for osteoporosis today. Of course, the type of treatment varies depending on each person's condition and the extent of his illness.
Treatments can reduce the risk of pelvic fractures by up to 40 percent, vertebral fractures by 30 to 70 percent, and non-vertebral fractures by 30 to 40 percent, and your doctor may prescribe calcium or vitamin D supplements. . Special exercises may also be prescribed to strengthen the muscles to maintain the bones, which will also increase your balance. In addition, you need to learn how to secure your home so that you do not run the risk of falling.

Always try to get proper physical activity such as walking twice a week for 30 to 40 minutes each time. Weight training and aerobic exercise can also be helpful, and in addition to taking vitamin D supplements, spend more time outdoors in the sun.