Chiropractic
Osteoporosis
Dr JemalKhan,
Chiropractor
New research indicates thatmore than 2 million men in the United States have osteoporosisand an additional 12 million have low bone mass, or osteopenia,placing them at increased risk for the disease. Eighty percentof the suffers of osteoprosis are women. This disease will effecttwo-thirds of all women over age 50.
Osteoporosis is definedas about 25% bone loss compared to a healthy young adult. Althougheveryone experiences some bone loss with age, few people realizethat stooped posture (kyphosis), and loss of height (greater than1-2 inches), are caused by vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is often calledthe "silent disease" because bone loss occurs withoutsymptoms. People may not know that they have osteoporosis untiltheir bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump or fallcauses a fracture or a vertebra to collapse. Collapsed vertebraemay initially be felt or seen in the form of severe back pain,loss of height, or spinal deformities.
Osteoporosis is a preventabledisease for most people, if they take the necessary steps throughouttheir lives. Contrary to popular belief, osteoporosis is not adisease of old people, and if preventative steps are not taken,bone loss occurs earlier in life, long before symptoms of thedisease. Osteoporosis and low bone mass are a major public healththreat.
A comprehensive programthat can help prevent osteoporosis includes: a balanced diet richin calcium and vitamin D; weight-bearing exercise; a healthy lifestylewith no smoking, bone density testing, and in certain instancesmedication.
Prevention is importantat all ages, however, at the time of menopause, these steps maynot be enough. With menopause, women begin to lose bone mass atan accelerated rate as their estrogen levels fall. They can loseup to 20 percent of their bone mass in the five to seven yearsfollowing menopause, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis.
A woman's risk of hip fractureis equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.An average of 24 percent of hip fracture patients age 50 and overdie in the year following their fracture. The rate of hip fracturesis two to three times higher in women than men; however the oneyear mortality following a hip fracture is nearly twice as highfor men as for women.
At six months after a hipfracture, only 15% of hip fracture patients can walk across aroom unaided.
EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
We are in a new era of preventing,detecting and treating this disease. In the past decade, bonedensity tests have become available, in addition to several medicationsto prevent and treat this disease. Osteoporosis is highly preventableand treatable, especially if caught early, and people with riskfactors should ask their doctor about a bone density test.
There are many risk factors,the greatest are: personal history of fracture after age 50; beingfemale; being thin and/or having a small frame; advanced age;a family history of osteoporosis; estrogen deficiency as a resultof menopause (especially early or surgically induced) use of corticosteroids,cigarette smoking, and excessive use of alcohol.
Specialized tests calledbone density tests can measure bone density in various sites ofthe body. A bone density can detect osteoporosis before a fractureoccurs, predict your chances of a fracture in the future, anddetermine your rate of bone loss and/or monitor the response totreatment if the test is conducted at intervals of one year ormore.
This information has beensupplied by the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Dr. Jemal Khan,
Chiropractor
Cayman Chiropractic Clinic