Osteoporosis A Chronic Disease

Running Head: OSTEOPOROSIS A CHRONIC DISEASE

Osteoporosis A Chronic Disease

Michele Turner

University of Phoenix Online

Osteoporosis A Chronic Disease

Chronic Diseases has had its toll on the yesteryears of society and of today’s society as well. Society has battled with many different chronic diseases and will still battle with some chronic diseases until the end of time. Hopefully, researchers will find the answer to the equation of eliminating many chronic diseases that are able to cripple a nation. This paper will define osteoporosis, explain the risk factors and incidence of osteoporosis, will list symptoms of osteoporosis, describe the impact of nutrition and exercise on the prognosis of osteoporosis, and lastly, list the prevention strategies and treatment options.

What is Osteoporosis?

In defining osteoporosis, this “is a disease that causes very weak bones that break easily” (FDA, 2005). "Osteo means bone, and porosis means porous explains how this chronic disease got its name” (ehealthMD, 2004). This disease deteriorates bone tissue making the bones very delicate and not sturdy which can lead to the risk of fractures. With this chronic disease serious bone loss occurs. All bones can be affected, but there are major concerns in fractures of the hips and spine. This chronic disease can occur in both men and women, but women are more likely to get the disease when in postmenopausal times and with mean it is later in life.

Risk Factors and Incidence

The risk factors in osteoporosis are being female, increasing age, estrogen deficiency, white race, low weight and body mass index (BMI), family history of osteoporosis, smoking, and prior history of fractures. Other risk factors are concerns of prolonged periods of immobility, and early menopause. According to Spine-health.com (1999), these risks certain factors seem to play a role in the development of osteoporosis. These factors risk factors because each factor influences the risk of developing the disease. Several of these factors have been shown to be stronger interpreters of bone loss than others and are therefore considered major risk factors. Other conditions that may also lead to bone loss are considered minor risk factors. All postmenopausal women and men over 50 should be assessed for the presence of risk factors for osteoporosis. (Spine-health.com, 1999). The incidence of osteoporosis is the concern of both amounts of bone mass you have as a young adult and how fast you lose it as you age determines your risk for osteoporosis. Studies show that the United States and the United Kingdom rates of osteoporosis have slowed down. However, in males across all countries, the incidence of osteoporosis is likely to increase. According to OsteoEd (2006), “the hip fracture incidence in men reached the same level as in women at an age 5 to 6 years older. For example, an 80-year-old man had the same hip fracture risk as a 75-year-old woman” (OsteoEd, 2006). This indicates that osteoporosis is a concern in both men and women and both tend to break hips in their 70s and 80s. Since men are affected, factors other than lack of estrogen must be important in causing hip fractures.

Symptoms of Osteoporosis

The symptoms of osteoporosis are very likely to be detected easily by a doctor. There are no early symptoms of osteoporosis. The first signs are joint aches and muscle aches. Advanced symptoms of osteoporosis are brittle bones, weak bones, if easily fractured, backache, loss of height and spine deformation. In joint aches, pain from injuries and other infections can cause the joints and muscles to ache. Unfortunately, because your bones are hidden and the thinning of the bones does not cause any symptoms, most people do not know that they are suffering from osteoporosis, until they have the unfortunate experience of breaking a hip or wrist due to a minor fall.

Brittle, weak, and thin bones do play a tremendous part in the discovery of this chronic disease. Easy fractures and breakages of bones may be more easily identified when the previous symptoms exist. Backaches, loss of height and spine deformation may also be identified specifically with osteoporosis because of the shape of the spine and unexplained back pain.

The Impact of Nutrition and Exercise of Osteoporosis

When it comes to osteoporosis, there is no cure for osteoporosis, but yet it can be controlled by medication that can protect bone loss, build bone, and slow down the progress of this chronic disease. Eating the proper nutritious foods and gentile exercise are elements that can strengthen bones. Bones need calcium and vitamin D so doctors will often advice a high calcium diet and may even suggest additional calcium tablets. Calcium provides strength and rigidity