What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis means “pores in the bones” and is an illness which causes the weakening of the bones, that can lead to spontaneous fractures with minimum efforts.
Normally the internal part of the bone looks like a sponge. Osteoporosis is as if the holes in the sponge began to get bigger and in bigger numbers. The bones let their resistance ´´ and become much more sensitive to fractures.
Osteoporosis progresses without symptoms or pain until there is some fracture, generally on the pelvis, column or wrist.
Although osteoporosis affects more than half the female population over 65 years old, one in five people with osteoporosis is male.
However, when certain risk factors are present, the probability of suffering osteoporosis increases.
Because of this, it is very important for you to determine the risk of you suffering this illness and take the necessary precautions.
The causes of osteoporosis are more related to the menopause and old age.
The consequences of osteoporosis include: pain, deformities in the column such as the formation of a hunchback and the loss in height, invalidity and the loss of independence, in the case of some fractures.

What is Osseous Densitometry?

It is a simple and quick exam, which detects your level of osteoporosis.
This exam is made with an apparatus capable of measuring the density of determined bones in your body, verifying the loss of bone tissue and the risk of a fracture.

The exam is easy,painless, secure, doesn´t request any special preparation or even fasting. It may be made with any clothes, avoiding only buttons, zippers and metal buckles. During the exam the patient remains lying down, breathing normally for about 15 minutes.

What the exam can show

• detect a low bone density before a fracture occurs.
• confirm a diagnosis of osteoporosis in a person who has already suffered a fracture.
• determine the rate of the loss of bone when the test is made anually.
• control the effects of the treatment in annual controls.

Prevention

Osteoporosis can be avoided if the loss in bone is detected early, through the bone densitometry exam.As a help to prevention, you should avoid the following risk factors:

• loss of hormones in the menopause
• deficiency of calcium
• lack of physical activity
• alcoholic beverages
• tobacco
• certain medicines

If you already have osteoporosis, you can live actively and confortably seeking the correct medical procedures and making some adaptations to your life style.

Your doctor can recommend a diet rich in calcium, a regular program of physical exercises to increase resistance to weight and medical treatment.

Recommendations

There are many things that you can do to help your treatment or avoid osteoporosis:

• a diet rich in calcium (milk and dairy products in general and green groceries).
• Avoid red meat, soft drinks and salt.
• Avoid the consumption of alcohol, coffee and cigarettes.
• Never mind your age, it is never too late to start a program of physical exercises.
• Do exercise such as walking, jogging and physiotherapy with orientation regarding weights.
• Avoid exercises which can cause pain.