Osteoporosis and women: All you need to know

What is Osteoporosis?

It is a condition that affects the bone structure, making it more fragile and prone to breaking. It causes extreme bone mass loss, increasing the risk of fractures, especially in the hip and back. Fractures caused by Osteoporosis can also happen to other parts of the body; they are usually severely painful and hard to heal.

Causes of Osteoporosis

There isn’t yet a known cause of this condition. Scientists and doctors identified how it develops; the weakening of the bone mass as we age makes the bone more vulnerable and more brittle, which makes it easier to break.

Risk factors

Being a woman

Being a woman is great, but gender is a significant risk factor for this bone condition. Women are more prone to get osteoporosis than men. 80% of the patients suffering from this condition are women. The reason is that women's bones are smaller and thinner than men’s bones, in addition to the hormonal changes women face throughout their lives that directly impact bone health.

Age

As we age, our body loses more bone mass than it can build. Our bones also become less dense and brittle from the inside. Hard bones become spongy and fragile, and porous bones become softer in texture.

Menopause

Estrogen is the primary hormone that protects our bones, and it declines significantly during menopause, making women more susceptible to bone mass loss.

Medication

Exposure to specific medication for an extended period can increase the risk of Osteoporosis and weaken the bones—medications such as corticosteroids, thyroid medications, and chemotherapy drugs. If you take one of these medications to treat a certain condition, do not stop them without consulting your doctor.

Certain medical conditions

People with chronic medical conditions such as Type 1 Diabetes, Thyroid issues, and Rheumatoid arthritis are more prone to Osteoporosis.

Symptoms

This bone condition is known as “The silent disease.” As patients experience no apparent symptoms. Osteoporosis is usually diagnosed when a patient breaks a bone or suffers from an ankle strain. If the bone loss is in the back, one of the symptoms can be severe back pain, loss of height, and a bent posture.

Prevention

You can lower your risk of getting Osteoporosis by following these steps: 

Quit smoking

Smoking lowers Estrogen in your body, making you more likely to have this condition.

Stop drinking alcohol

Alcohol can damage your bones and increase your risk of falling and breaking a bone.

Exercise

Exercise strengthens your bones and muscles, which helps prevent bone loss. Working out also enables you to stay strong, active, and balanced.

Consume foods rich in Calcium

Ensure you consume healthy dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and fatty fish like Salmon to increase calcium intake.

Take supplements

Check with your doctor if it is safe for you to take calcium and vitamin D supplements.

Treatment

Treatment of Osteoporosis depends on your age and overall health conditions. The most popular treatments are medications, hormone therapy, supplements, and lifestyle changes involving a diet and exercise regimen containing weight-bearing and resistance exercises. 

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