Osteoporosis-I

Osteoporosis is a state that influences the bones, bringing about a change in them as they turn weak and thin. This condition generally occurs as people grow old, as the body grows older and is unable to restore the sapped bones. Specific cells in the bone, known as living bone cells, are unable to carry out the function of breaking down the old bones to restore them into fresh and fit bones.
As people grow older, there is a drop in a certain quantity of bone; this causes the bones to get thinner in size. As the bones get thinner they are prone to fractures, especially the bones of the hips, spine and the wrist.
Bones are tissues which regularly restore themselves. They are in the form of a outer shell which is hard and within there are blood vessels, the bone marrow, minerals and the collagen in the form of a mesh. Bones which are healthy are with smaller spaces and bones which are fragile are with bigger spaces, in turn making the bones weak and lead to osteoporosis.
Bones are constantly restored and strengthened by numerous minerals and proteins that are taken in from the bloodstream, these various proteins and minerals are amino acids, calcium, proteins and phosphorus. The mineral essence credited into the bones manages the development of the sex hormones, hence modification in the hormonal levels influence the potency of the bones.

Symptoms

Osteoporosis is a state that gradually builds up in the span of many years. The symptoms may not be evident in the initial period as it takes either a few months or a period of a few years to show. The initial indications are pain in the joints or having a problem in being seated upright or standing. You would not know until there is an unexpected fracture or a slight tumble.
It generally takes longer for a fracture to recover when it’s an older person compared to someone younger, as the bone cannot restore itself. As such it can even develop to become disability or even arthritis if the bone does not restore back to shape. The typical indication of the crouching pose in the elderly people is evident indications of osteoporosis. This occurs as the spine gets fractured or split and it gets tough to bear the body weight. This condition may not hurt much until a bone has split but the pain gets worse if there is a spinal fracture.

Causes

The bones of the human body are in their healthiest form in a grown up person, as people get older about at the age of 35+ the bones cells are not restored but lost more than often, as such the bones get thin and weak.
Women are more prone to osteoporosis as compared to men, as the levels in oestrogen the female hormone go down once they reach menopause. Women are more prone to osteoporosis when they get a hysterectomy before they turn 45 or they have an untimely menopause that is again before they cross 45 or they have a delay in their periods for a long time. Whereas testosterone the male hormone aids in maintaining the bones, as it goes on to generate in later years also, but men too are prone to osteoporosis if testosterone is low.
The male and female hormones are key factors in keeping the bones healthy and they can even be aggravated by health problems such as;

• diabetes,
• low levels of oestrogen and testosterone,
• hyperthyroidism,
• complaints of the adrenal organs, and
• Pituitary.
• There are many other causes that could increase the hazards of osteoporosis:
• excessive smoking and drinking,
• low calcium and vitamin D levels,
• enduring consumption of high-levels of corticosteroid and enoxaparin,
• a hereditary of osteoporosis,
• a long period of bed rest ,
• malabsorbtion problems or
• A very low body weight or fragile bones due to low intake of food.