What’s osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a condition that causes brittle and fragile bones. It causes a dangerously low bone density, which makes your bones more susceptible to fractures.
What causes osteoporosis?
A calcium/vitamin D deficiency sometimes causes it. Because of a reduced calcium intake, your body cannot replace the old bone fast enough to maintain a healthy bone density. This weakens your bones significantly. It’s also caused by some hormonal changes, usually estrogen deficiencies in women. This usually happens naturally during menopause and perimenopause. Lower estrogen levels affect the cells that produce new bone function, which also leads to your body not being able to keep up with having to replace your old bone.
What are some common symptoms?
Loss of height – sometimes the lower bone density can lead to a height reduction upwards of two inchesLight impacts cause fractures – because your bones become so fragile, even light impacts to usually the wrist, back, and hip cause severe fractures.Lower back pain – the bones that hold up your back can become so fragile that they collapse, which causes a lot of painStooped spine – when the bones in your back begin to collapse, your spine’s alignment is affected and a stoop is developed.Weaker grip strength – this happens when the bones in your hands begin to degrade, making gripping tightly onto objects difficult.
How do I get help for osteoporosis?
If you think that you may have osteoporosis, a good place to start is to talk about your symptoms with your primary care physician. They will check for signs of osteoporosis and then if you’re diagnosed, will help you with a treatment plan. Most osteoporosis treatment plans include vitamin and calcium supplements, an exercise plan, and other medications to help.
If you’re looking for a primary care physician in Plano, Irving, or Frisco, call us at 214-666-6259 or schedule an appointment in the contact tab above the post.
Author Jai Sammpath
