Bone is constantly regenerating and in a young body, new bone is created faster than old bone is broken down, causing bone mass to increase. But after a person’s twenties, bone mass is lost faster than it’s created. In a body with osteoporosis, more bone mass is lost than can be replaced and bones are brittle and weak as a result.

While osteoporosis can affect everyone, there are some people who are more at risk than others. There are two different types of osteoporosis. Understanding these types can help you identify if you’re dealing with this condition, allowing you to treat it as soon as possible.

Type I Osteoporosis

Also known as postmenopausal osteoporosis, this type generally develops in women who have gone through menopause and have decreased levels of estrogen. This leads to an increase in bone resorption, meaning the bones lose structure, and there is a decrease in the amount of trabecular bone.

Type I osteoporosis typically occurs in women between the ages of 50 and 70 and is not common in men. When the strength in the bone decreases, it leads primarily to wrist and spinal fractures.

Type II Osteoporosis

Type II osteoporosis is also known as senile osteoporosis. This condition usually occurs after the age of 70 and is twice as common in women as in men. Like type I osteoporosis, type II osteoporosis causes the trabecular bone to thin. However, unlike type I, type II is known to lead to hip fractures.

Understanding Osteoporosis

It’s difficult to identify if you have osteoporosis because symptoms don’t usually appear. Typically, people who suffer from osteoporosis aren’t aware that they suffer from the condition until they fracture a bone from a minor fall or daily activity.

The good news is that osteoporosis can be treated if it’s caught in time. If you’ve experienced an unexpected fracture after a minor injury and think you could be dealing with osteoporosis, be sure to contact your doctor immediately.

Your doctor will perform an examination, evaluate your medical history and run diagnostic tests, then he or she will determine whether or not you suffer from osteoporosis and discuss treatment options with you.

Osteoporosis Prevention

While osteoporosis is not completely unavoidable, it’s never too soon to start thinking about your bone health and adopting habits that can strengthen your bones to help you prevent this condition.

One of the most important factors in maintaining bone health is diet. Incorporate fruits and vegetables that contain calcium and vitamin D into your diet. Your body needs calcium for strong bones and your bones need vitamin D to absorb calcium. Take a multivitamin daily or add eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

Exercise is also important for bone health. Speak to your doctor about a workout regime.

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Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease that causes painful effects and makes even the simplest activities difficult. When a patient suffers from osteoporosis, their bones become weak and are prone to breaking, even during everyday activities and minor falls.

Men and women experience this disease as they grow older. Bone is a tissue that constantly regenerates and the old bone is removed and replaced with new bone. In a young person’s body, the body creates new bone faster than it breaks down old bone, meaning the bone mass increases. This lasts until a person is in their twenties, then, bone mass begins to become lost faster than it’s created, and continues as a person ages.

It’s never too soon to start considering your bone health. Learn more about what you can do.

1. Diet

Possibly the most important part of bone health is incorporating foods into your diet that your bones rely on. Your bones need calcium to be strong and they need vitamin D to absorb that calcium.

One way to make sure you’re getting these essential nutrients is to take a daily vitamin that includes calcium and vitamin D. Typically, a multivitamin will get the job done but you can also opt for a daily vitamin designed for bone health.

It’s also crucial to eat a balanced diet full of foods that include the vitamins and nutrients that will keep your bones healthy. Fruits and vegetables are packed with calcium and vitamin D so make sure to get the recommended daily serving. Fish and dairy products are also beneficial for your bone health.

2. Exercise

Daily exercise is crucial in maintaining strong, healthy bones, but it’s important to engage in activities that won’t be hard on your bones. Talk to your doctor about creating a daily exercise routine for your bone health. Weight bearing and muscle strengthening exercises are most important for building and maintaining bone density. Learn more about the exercises you can perform to improve your bone health.

• High-Impact Weight Bearing Exercises: These types of activities include dancing, aerobics, hiking, running, jumping rope and stair climbing.
• Low-Impact Weight Bearing Exercises: These types of exercises are easier on joints and bones and include elliptical training machines, stair-step machines and fast walking on a treadmill or outside.
• Muscle Strengthening Exercises: Strong muscles are also necessary when considering bone health. Muscle strengthening exercises include lifting weights, using elastic exercise bands, using weight machines, lifting your own body weight and functional movements, such as standing and rising up on your toes.
• Yoga and Pilates: These exercises can improve your strength, balance and flexibility but certain positions may not be safe for those who suffer from osteoporosis. Be sure to speak with your doctor or physical therapist before performing these movements.

3. Avoid smoking and tobacco use

Research studies have identified smoking as a risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fracture.

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If you are suffering from spinal osteoporosis and comprehensive treatment methods have not been successful in treating your symptoms, find out how surgery can benefit you.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease that affects men and women as they grow older. Caucasian and Asian women and most at risk for this disease, and while it’s not common for children to develop it, it is possible.

It affects mostly men and women as they get older because they begin to lose bone mass, making their bones brittle, weak, and more susceptible to injuries, most often in the spine, wrists and hips. Bone tissue is constantly regenerating in the body, meaning old bone is removed and replaced with new bone. New bone is created fast than old bone is broken down in young people, but when a person reaches their twenties, they begin to lose bone mass faster than it’s created. This continues as the person ages.

Symptoms don’t typically show up during the early stages of osteoporosis, so patients don’t know they’re dealing with the disease until they suffer from a fracture from a minor injury.

Surgery for Osteoporosis

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When treatment methods such as medication, exercise and diet don’t help the effects of osteoporosis after three months of treatment, surgery may be the only option. Two minimally invasive surgical procedures for osteoporotic fractures of the spine are kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty. Learn more about these treatment methods.

Kyphoplasty

During this procedure, a small incision is made in the back then a small tube is placed through it. The tube is guided into the correct position which creates a path through the back into the fractured area. The surgeon uses x-rays to insert a below into the vertebrae then inflates it. The inflation of the balloon returns the fractured pieces to a more appropriate position, relieving pain and creating a cavity.

After the balloon is removed, the doctor fills the cavity with a material that hardens and stabilizes the bone.

Vertebroplasty

This minimally invasive procedure involves inserting low viscosity cement directly into the collapsed vertebral body to stabilize the fracture. It can also prevent further deformity, such as spine curvature or loss of height.

Vertebroplasty is different from kyphoplasty because it does not typically involve manipulation before the injection.

If you’ve been dealing with the pain of spinal osteoporosis, these two procedures could significantly reduce the symptoms. To learn more about how the dedicated physicians at Premier Orthopaedics could help relieve your pain from osteoporosis,click here to contact us.

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