Understanding Osteoporosis: Causes, Risk Factors, and Effective Approaches for Building Stronger Bones
May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month.
Osteoporosis is a medical condition where our bones become brittle and they weaken and they are more likely to get fractured. So a simple fall where you would have just gotten up and dusted yourself now is going to result in a fracture. We know that fracture can actually really decrease our quality and quantity of life, especially in older people and women. A fracture can really increase your morbidity and mortality. So avoiding fractures and keeping your bones really healthy is very important, especially as we age..
Who gets Osteoporosis?
Men and women can both get osteoporosis, but it's definitely a bigger issue in women. This especially happens after menopause around the age of 52, with a lack of estrogen, we lose bone mass a little bit faster and this can lead to osteoporosis. We used to screen women for osteoporosis as soon as she reached menopause. Now, the screening is a little bit different. We actually start screening at 65. So make sure that once you hit that age, you are getting screened. And screening is done by a very simple X ray that looks at bone density at various points in your body, including the spine, the hip, and sometimes your wrist.
What are some additional risk factors that put you at increased risk for Osteoporosis?
Certainly, as we mentioned, age and menopausal status are risk factors. But genetics is another big one. So if you have a family history of osteoporosis, or your mom or your dad had a fracture when they were young, that is an important piece of history.
If you're a smoker or if you are very petite, or if you have a history of taking steroids for whatever reason for a long period of time…these are all risk factors. And I'm not talking about topical steroids for the skin. I'm talking about oral steroids, like prednisone. So if you've been on steroids for other medical conditions for a long time, that is going to make your bones weaker and you are at an increased risk of getting osteoporosis. So you want to be screened earlier, maybe even at 50 or 55.
What can you do to delay the onset of Osteoporosis?
Calcium, vitamin D, a very healthy diet, and definitely weights. So a lot of people are talking about cardio and running when I see patients in the office. Their exercise is all about cardio, but make sure you're lifting the weights. Now, if you do have osteoporosis, there are excellent treatment options out there, including oral medications as well as IV medications.
Please seek the help of a specialist who can help you with this. An endocrinologist is a specialist that can help you with osteoporosis and the treatment and going through the nuances of various treatments. So get out there, exercise, make sure you get screened.
If you are in California and you are looking for an expert gynecologist, come and see me!
I'm in Lafayette, CA and my number is 925-74-7473 , and I'll be happy to see you for a consultation.
You can set up a coaching session with me, email: thefibroiddoc@gmail.com , and we can set up a time and go over all your questions.
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