"Silent Bone Thief" is an excellent description of a disease called osteoporosis. According to the National Consensus Institute for Health Development (2001), osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by stress on bone strength, which leads to an increased risk of fractures.
This disease develops for a long time and insidiously. Bone loss occurs slowly and usually has no symptoms. In Poland, about 9 million people are likely at risk of osteoporosis. Most of them will find out about the disease when they break a bone. That's why prevention is extremely important in the fight against osteoporosis.
Risk factors for osteoporosis.
age - the risk of the disease increases over the age of 65, gender - osteoporosis affects women more often than men, which is associated with an earlier onset of menopause in women than with andropause in men, race - people of the white and yellow races suffer more often than representatives of the black race, slim body or overweight (load), genetic conditions, prolonged immobilization, which can cause osteoporotic changes even in young people, menopause in women - this is affected by hormone deficiency such as estradiol and progesterone, when taking medications: corticosteroids, sleeping pills, thyroid hormones, other diseases: diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, nephrolithiasis, other factors such as menstrual disorders cycle or its primary or secondary absence, premature ovarian insufficiency, a number of factors related to a diet low in protein and calcium, calcium and vitamin D deficiency, excess sodium, sedentary lifestyle and various types of stimulants (alcohol, cigarettes, excessive coffee consumption).
Prevention of osteoporosis.
Preventive measures can be extremely effective and should be considered especially for people who have one or more of the risk factors mentioned above.
To reduce the risk of osteoporosis:
stop taking stimulants, increase physical activity, eliminate falls, ensure the right amount of calcium in the diet, and perform preventive densitometry every 3 years.
What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?
In most cases, osteoporosis is asymptomatic, at least in the early stages of the disease. It is a disease that develops slowly over many years.
At a late stage, the symptoms of the disease are fractures of the wrist, hip, vertebrae and, much less often, fractures of the ribs.
It is worth emphasizing that osteoporotic fractures occur without obvious causes, they are so-called spontaneous fractures. To prevent this from happening, a diagnostic test should be performed to detect osteoporosis at its asymptomatic stage.
How do you diagnose osteoporosis?
The most commonly used methods useful for the diagnosis of osteoporosis are various types of biochemical and imaging tests (X-ray, densitometric). These include survey images of bones (X-ray, X-ray). These photos are the most popular and cheapest diagnostic method. Unfortunately, its main disadvantage is the fact that significant losses caused by this disease can only be seen when they exceed 30 percent. bone mass. The limited effectiveness of these methods is also caused by the coexistence of other degenerative bone changes, which often occurs in the elderly.
Currently, densitometry is the main examination that makes it possible to diagnose osteoporosis at an early stage of the disease. This method allows you to measure bone mass extremely accurately and precisely (with an accuracy of 1%). As a result, thanks to densitometry, it is possible to create a computer image of the bone structure.
Densitometry - what is an examination?
Densitometry is the main visual examination in the diagnosis of osteoporosis and osteopenia. Thanks to this, we can not only assess the risk of developing these diseases, but also confirm or exclude them and assess their severity.
To properly assess the risk of fractures, a densitometric test is required, which includes the lumbar spine and femoral neck. Spinal densitometry evaluates early perimenopausal changes that are not visible in the femoral neck. On the other hand, examination of the femoral neck makes it possible to assess the risk of long bone fractures.
Densitometry is a two-dimensional variation of computed tomography. It is based on a radiological assessment of the difference in absorption of bone and fat and muscle tissue. The measurement value is expressed in two dimensions in grams (BMC - bone mineral content) and in g/cm2 (BMD - bone mineral density).
Densitometry is performed using the Double Energy Absorption (DEXA) method, which is currently the standard in the diagnosis of osteoporosis. The examination is painless, harmless, non-invasive (the dose of X-rays received is minimal), and short-term (a full examination, along with the patient's location, device configuration, and scanning of the lumbar spine and hip, takes about 20 minutes). The test is performed for patients over 17 years of age, but is not recommended for pregnant women. The patient does not need to prepare for this examination; she does not even need to undress. However, he must inform the staff if he has an endoprosthesis or other implanted metal components that may be in the radiation area.
The course of the densitometric test.
The object lies on a special table, the hand of the densitometer moves over the estimated bone fragment, and the image of the bones, the density of which is measured, appears on the monitor screen. The test lasts up to several minutes.
The computer presents the result in the form of a graph and a table. Bone mineral density is given in grams per square centimeter.
The test is based on the mineral density of the lumbar vertebrae and femoral neck.
What does densitometry do?
The measurement of mineral density allows us to indirectly conclude about the strength of the bone under mechanical stress. There is a relationship between bone mass and fracture frequency. Densitometric examination makes it possible to increase the risk of vertebral and hip fractures at an early stage (from 5 to 20 years).
Determining the degree of reduction in bone mineral content is of great importance not only for the early diagnosis of osteoporosis, but also for osteopenia, i.e. the probable risk of osteoporosis. Detection of this threat in a few or several years is crucial for intensive prevention.
This test is also the main method of verifying treatment results, as it allows you to determine how bone mineral density changes under the influence of therapy.
How to assess the risk of osteoporosis?
To assess the risk of osteoporosis, the risks of this disease should be determined. This can be done by completing the osteoporosis risk test developed by the IOF (International Osteoporosis Foundation).
Please answer the following questions:
1. Did any of the parents have a hip fracture after a slight fall or bruise?
2. Have you suffered a bone fracture after a small fall or bruise?
3. Have you been taking corticosteroid medications, such as Encortone, etc. for more than 3 months?
4. Has your height decreased by more than 3 cm?
5. Do you regularly drink large amounts of alcohol (significantly higher than normal, above 0.5 ppm in your blood)?
6. Do you smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day?
7. Do you have frequent diarrhea (caused by diseases such as celiac disease or Crohn's disease)?
8. Did you go through menopause before the age of 45?
9. Did you stop menstruating for 12 months or more (for reasons other than pregnancy)?
If at least 2 answers are positive, consult a doctor.
Author: the material was prepared by medicine. physician Jacek Podsiadlowski, specialist in orthopedic surgery and traumatology for adults and children (surgery and orthopedics for children and adolescents) from the rehabilitation clinic MEDICAR / mk. Many players explore different bankroll strategies for online slots, poker, and sports betting before they casino read more about advanced risk management. Understanding volatility, odds, and betting limits can help you make more informed decisions and enjoy gambling more responsibly.