Derek L. Hill, D.O.

Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Surgeon and Specialist

Understanding Bone Health

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Female doctor pointing on a boneYour bones are living tissues, and they constantly rebuild throughout life. The younger you are (under 20 years old), the faster bones rebuild. Unfortunately, after age 20 your loss of bone density is much higher that bone rebuilding.

What causes your bones to be brittle, you may wonder? Proper health and nutrition play an important roll in preventing bone loss. Here is some more information regarding your bone health.

Vitamin D Deficiency

A deficiency of Vitamin D is one of many leading causes of bone loss. Sunlight is a great source of Vitamin D. If you don’t get enough, coupled with not consuming foods sufficient in Vitamin D, you increase your deficiency even more.

Low Bone Density

A very low bone density will also weaken your bones, leading to Osteopenia. If left undiagnosed or even untreated, you could develop Osteoporosis if density levels continue to drop even lower.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, commonly found in older people, especially women, makes bones so weak that they can actually break. For women it usually happens after menopause estrogen levels decrease, which is the main culprit of Osteoporosis.

Brittle Bone Disease

Osteogenesis Imperfect, also known as Brittle Bone Disease, weakens bones so much that they become prone to fractures. This disease is a genetic disorder in which a person is born with abnormal genes meant to produce collagen protein, essential for maintaining bone strength.

Paget’s Disease of Bone

One other bone disease, Paget’s Disease of Bone, causes bones to remodel themselves. They will grow too large and lose shape, weaken, cause hearing loss and even arthritis. The result will be excessive breakdown or new bone will form. Some common places this disease occurs in include the spine, legs, pelvis and skull.

People with osteoporosis think that exercise will cause bone breakage, however an exercise regimen created by a professional trainer could possibly help you prevent falls, and fall-related fractures. Weight-bearing and strength training exercise are known to build and maintain bone density, and they’re safe and effective. Before starting an exercise regimen when dealing with bone loss, be sure to consult with a physician or trained physical therapist.

Written by: Jamacia Magee, FizzNiche Staff Writer

Risk Factors & Treatment of Osteoporosis

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Senior Woman Holding Dog On SofaAccording to MedLinePlus, as many as half of all women and a quarter of all men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, or brittle bone disease as it’s commonly known, occurs when our bodies don’t build new bone as fast as they remove old bone.

This causes the bones to become weak and brittle and more likely to break (definition from WebMd). And while we know how important it is to consume adequate calcium and vitamin D earlier in life, there are also some risk factors that may predispose us to the disease.

 

 

An article on WebMd.com (“Your Risk for Osteoporosis and Bone Fractures”) lists 10 risk factors for developing the disease:

  1. Early menopause and no use of supplemental estrogen
  2. Family history of a hip fracture or osteoporosis
  3. History of anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder, or low body weight
  4. Hormone treatment for prostate cancer
  5. Older age
  6. Past bone fractures
  7. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), some digestive illnesses, and certain other diseases
  8. Smoking
  9. Steroid medicine use for a long time (for asthma or other conditions)
  10. Three or more alcoholic drinks per day

The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a bone density test for:

  • Women over the age of 65
  • Men over the age of 70
  • Women and men over the age of 50 with risk factors.

A bone density test can detect bone loss before a fracture occurs. But what if a fracture has already occurred? Osteoporosis related fractures most commonly occur in the wrist, hip, or spine, and may be what’s classified as a low trauma or fragility fracture. A fragility fracture is one that occurs due to a fall or bump that would not cause a break in a person with healthy bones.

In another article on WebMd (“Osteoporosis Bone Fractures: A Treatment Overview”) the author states that some fractures will heal on their own, but others will need the help of a specialist such as an orthopedic doctor, a physiatrist, a physical therapist, and/or an occupational therapist. The treatments received from these specialists may range from a splint or cast to surgery, and care after the bone has healed to help resume regular activities.

The author also recommends speaking with a doctor about pain management, including a review of all medicines currently being used to be sure nothing taken for the pain will cause dizziness and thus create a risk of falling.

A third article on WebMd offers some advice for helping a fracture to heal (“Easy Living Tips After a Fracture”). This includes such things as:

  • Staying as active as possible
  • Making your home safer by rearranging furniture as needed, securing loose rugs, and keeping a phone nearby
  • Asking for help from friends and family for such things as grocery shopping, and choose foods that require little preparation such as frozen or microwavable dinners
  • Be sure to be safe in the bathtub by using a non-slip rubber mat and a long handled sponge to reach lower legs, feet, and back.

It used to be thought that osteoporosis was an inevitable part of aging. But now we know that we can help lower our risk by doing things like eating right, not smoking, and using alcohol in moderation. There are also a variety of treatments available and the after care has evolved as we’ve learned more about the disease. It’s no longer a given, but if it does occur it can be treated.

Written by: Tricia Doane, FizzNiche Staff Writer

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