Ref: CHB/Flash/2008/69                                          Date: December 11, 2008

 

CHB NEWS FLASH

 

 

 

Osteoporosis makes your bones weak and more likely to break. Anyone can develop osteoporosis, but it is common in older women. As many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

 

Risk factors include:

  • Getting older
  • Being small and thin
  • Having a family history of osteoporosis
  • Taking certain medicines
  • Being a white or Asian woman
  • Smoking
  • Early menopause
  • Having osteopenia, which is low bone mass

 

Osteoporosis is a silent disease. You might not know you have it until you break a bone. A bone mineral density test is the best way to check your bone health. To keep bones strong, eat a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, exercise and do not smoke. If needed, medicines can also help. Below are brief explanations to FAQ.

 

What is Osteoporosis?  

Thinning of the bones with reduction in bone mass due to depletion of calcium and bone protein.

 

Why is it important to detect osteoporosis?

With every major osteoporosis fracture, the risk of death doubles. Yet it is not taken seriously all around the world.

 

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

Usually, nothing until you break a bone. Occasionally you may complain of bone pains.

 

How can it be diagnosed?   

Sometimes it can be seen on an X-ray when there is a lot of bone loss. Then there are techniques such as bone densitometry (DXA), with which the density of the bones can be measured. This gives a good index of the risk.

 

 

 For women, there is a particularly important factor - menopause. During this phase, they lose bones rapidly for 5-10 years. Bones are like retirement fund. If you are in the upper part of the fund (i.e., have adequate bone reserve), then it will last you for life. But if you are in the middle or the lower part, you can run into problems quite early or have major problems if you live long enough.

 

 

 

How can you prevent osteoporosis?

Physical Exercise:

 

The one thing that is very good and helpful for osteoporosis is physical activity.

 

As affluence increases, people do much less walking, standing and so on. That may have an adverse effect and is a major contributory facto

 

 

 

Eat the right food:

 

A calcium rich diet and calcium supplements in the younger years may help in preventing osteoporosis. Screening for osteoporosis with the help of bone densitometry and initiating treatment early can save your bones from osteoporosis.

 

 

“Community’s health – CHB’s priority”

 

 Attached PDF Version of the Newsflash