Osteoporosis is a condition reduced density bone. This causes bone become porous and break easily.Osteoporosis rarely causes symptoms and usually It is only known when the sufferer falls or suffers an injury that causes a fracture.
Osteoporosis can be experienced by anyone, including children and adults. However, this condition is more common in women who have entered menopause. This is caused by reduced levels of estrogen which plays an important role in maintaining bone density.
Symptoms of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is one of the main problems in the human skeletal system. Osteoporosis often does not cause any symptoms. This condition is usually only discovered when a person has an injury that causes a fracture.
As bone density decreases, people with osteoporosis may experience the following symptoms:
- It's easy to break bones, even if it's just a light impact
- Back pain, usually caused by a spinal fracture
- Bowed posture
- Decreased height
Causes and Risk Factors of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is caused by a decreased ability of the body to regenerate bones. This has an impact on reducing bone density. The decline in this regeneration ability will usually begin when a person enters the age of 35 years.
In addition to age, the following are some other factors that can increase the risk of osteoporosis:
- Female gender, especially after menopause
- Have a family history of osteoporosis
- Having a deficiency of vitamin D and calcium, for example milk, cheese, meat, fish, and chicken feet
- Having hormonal disorders and certain diseases, such as Crohn's disease or malabsorption
- Taking corticosteroid drugs for a long time
- Having alcohol addiction
- Smoke
Diagnosis of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is often only detected when the sufferer has an injury that causes a fracture. To diagnose osteoporosis and the type of osteoporosis that occurs, the doctor will ask questions about the complaints and symptoms, including the patient's medical history and medications.
If the patient is injured and a fracture is suspected, the doctor will first perform a physical examination to determine the severity of the injury and fracture. After that, the doctor will perform an X-ray or CT scan to clearly see the condition of the broken bone.
To confirm osteoporosis and determine the patient's risk of fracture, the doctor will take bone density measurements (bone density testing) use dual energy X-Ray absorptiometry (DXA).
Osteoporosis Treatment
Treatment for osteoporosis will depend on the severity. If people with osteoporosis are at high risk for fractures, doctors may prescribe medications to increase bone density, such as:
- Bisphosphonates
- Monoclonal antibodies
- Hormone therapy
If needed, people with osteoporosis can be given drugs that can increase bone formation, such as: teriparatide and abaloparatide.
Patients will also be advised to reduce activities that could cause them to fall or get injured. To be safer, elderly patients with osteoporosis should also stay in a safe house for the elderly.
Osteoporosis Prevention
In some circumstances, osteoporosis is difficult to prevent. However, you can reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis by quitting smoking, not drinking alcohol, having regular check-ups if you are postmenopausal, exercising regularly, and eating foods rich in vitamin D and calcium.