...Currently in my family my mother and my grandmother both have osteoporosis. “Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in the density of bone, decreasing its strength and resulting in fragile bones” ("Osteoporosis", 2012). Osteoporosis can cause bones to break very easily. All it takes is the slightest accident and you can end up with a fracture or a complete break. The spine, hips, ribs and wrists are the most common bones broken because of this disorder. All of these most often are a result in a fall, but can happen at any point during a slight trauma. Currently there is about 55% of the population over the age of 50 that have osteoporosis or osteopenia. ("Osteoporosis", 2012) “One in two Caucasian women will fracture a bone due to osteoporosis in her lifetime”. ("Osteoporosis", 2012) Lack of exercise, poor nutrition and poor general health, family history of osteoporosis, thin and small body frame, smoking and drinking are just some of the risk factors for osteoporosis. I currently have all of those risks against me. There are four of the above risks that I can change on my own in order to prevent getting osteoporosis myself. Lack of exercise, poor nutrition, smoking and drinking are the four that I can change. The four goals that I have chosen are to stop smoking, stop drinking, to eat healthier than I have been, and to exercise more. The first goal I intend to take on is to stop smoking. Currently, I am taking a prescribed medication in order...
Words: 1202 - Pages: 5
...Elivin Stephenson Ms. Gardner Anatomy and Physiology 12-2-14 Osteoporosis The human body made up structure almost entirely of bones. Bones are important parts of the human body. Healthy bone give a lot to the overall health. Bones can also get infections and diseases just like other body parts. Diseases like bone cancer and osteoporosis are the more serious and researched on. This paper showcases the disease osteoporosis by finding out it its causes, symptoms, testing,treatment and prevention. Osteoporosis is a common disease that usually meets older women. The disease is characterized by a loss in bone density over time. Bone strength is measured by the bone mineral density , also called the bone mass. Persons suffering from osteoporosis have low bone mass. [pic] Fig 1. This Picture shows empty and hollow a victim of Osteoporosis compared to someone who does not. (WebMD 1) Osteoporosis is known well as it is called a silent disease. It takes a long time and test for the disease to show up on a doctors radar. As bones weaken,the risk of sudden and unexpected bone fractures increases. Woman 50 and older have many fractures around their hip and wrist within this age group. Even though Osteoporosis is more common in women, it does not matter how old you are age or sex is, osteoporosis can affect you. There are not really visible signs of Osteoporosis. Some victims will notice a loss of height or a Dowager's hump( An abnormal outward curvature of the thoracic vertebrae...
Words: 743 - Pages: 3
...Osteoporosis, which means "porous bones," causes bones to become weak and brittle — so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses like bending over or coughing can cause a fracture. In many cases, bones weaken when you have low levels of calcium and other minerals in your bones. A common result of osteoporosis is fractures — most of them occur in the spine, hip or wrist. Although it's often thought of as a women's disease, osteoporosis affects men too. And aside from people who have osteoporosis, many others have low bone density, putting them at risk of developing osteoporosis. Scientists don't yet know exactly why osteoporosis occurs, but they do know that the normal bone remodeling process is disrupted. Your bone is continuously changing — new bone is made and old bone is broken down (resorption) — a process called remodeling or bone turnover. When you're young, your body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bone and your bone mass increases. You reach your peak bone mass around age 30. After that, bone remodeling continues, but you lose slightly more than you gain. How likely you are to develop osteoporosis depends on how much bone mass you attained in your 20s and early 30s (peak bone mass) and how rapidly you lose it later. The higher your peak bone mass, the more bone you have "in the bank" and the less likely you are to develop osteoporosis as you age. The strength of your bones depends on their size and density; bone density depends in part on the amount of...
Words: 919 - Pages: 4
...This paper presents the case of osteoporosis by defining it and outlining its causes, symptoms, testing and diagnosis, and treatment. Osteoporosis is primarily a disease characterised by reduced bone strength that makes it susceptible to fracture. Bone strength is measured by establishing the bone mineral density (BMD), also called the bone mass. Persons suffering from osteoporosis have low bone mass/BMD (Adler, 2009). It is mostly prevalent among women aged 50 and above; it is responsible for fractures around the vertebra, hip, or wrist within this age group. The disease occurs where the body either generates bone cells at a rate slower than they die, or absorbs too much existing bone. Slow bone generation and replacement can be attributed to low levels of calcium and vitamin D which are key components of the bone development process. There are other probable causes of osteoporosis including overindulgence in alcohol, smoking as well as certain medications, and low body weight. However, there are cases where bone loss occurs without any medical explanation. This occurs if disease is genetic. Osteoporosis is hard to detect in the early stages as it does not show any obvious symptoms. Many victims only discover they have the disease once they suffer fractures. This can be characterised by pain which can occur due to fractures. Spinal fractures can result into height reduction or stooped posture. The examination and detection of osteoporosis can be done in two major ways:...
Words: 400 - Pages: 2
...Osteoporosis Osteoporosis (OS-tee-oh-poh-ROH-sis) is a disease of the bones. Osteoporosis is the most common type of bone disease. People with osteoporosis have bones that are weak and break easily. Everyone has cells that remove old bone and other cells that rebuild new bone. This ongoing process is part of what keeps your bones strong. When you have postmenopausal osteoporosis, bone-removing cells cause you to lose bone at a rate that is too fast. The result is thinner, weaker bones that can break more easily. In women, bone loss increases after menopause. In the 5 to 7 years after menopause, you can lose up to 20 percent of your bone mass—leaving you at risk for fracture. Researchers estimate that about 1 out of 5 American women over the age of 50 have osteoporosis. About half of all women over the age of 50 will have a fracture of the hip, wrist, or vertebra . (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001400/ ) Osteoporosis affects all bones in the body. However, breaks are most common in the hip, wrist, and spine, also called vertebrae (VUR-tuh-bray). Vertebrae support your body, helping you to stand and sit up. Osteoporosis in the vertebrae can cause serious problems for women. A fracture in this area occurs from day-to-day activities like climbing stairs, lifting objects, or bending forward. Signs of osteoporosis include sloping shoulders, curve in the back, height loss, back pain, hunched posture and a protruding abdomen. [pic] (http://www.womenshealth...
Words: 1281 - Pages: 6
...What is Osteoporosis? According the National Osteoporosis Society, in the UK population one in five men and one in two women over the age of 50, will sustain a bone fracture as a likely consequence of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a progressive disease which affects bone density and is characterised by the structure of the bone becoming more porous. Under a microscope osteoporotic bone is clearly identifiable, as it contains many more holes within the structure of the bone matrix compared to normal bone. This change in bone mass causes the bone to be structurally weaker and makes it more vulnerable to fracture. Ordinarily, healthy bone structure relies on two finely balanced processes of; bone formation and bone breakdown. In the case of osteoporosis, bone breakdown occurs more rapidly than bone formation, compromising both structure and strength. Furthermore the National Osteoporosis Society states that the daily cost of osteoporosis to the NHS is £6 million a day, with over one thousand deaths each month resulting from osteoporosis related hip fractures. These statistics are even more shocking when we consider that osteoporosis is largely a preventable disease. Symptoms and Diagnosis? Osteoporosis is problematic as it largely progresses in an asymptomatic manner, with diagnosis often not occurring until the point of the first fracture. At this stage the disease is well established and the bone density is already compromised. Commonly, fractures occur within the wrist (known...
Words: 1060 - Pages: 5
...DQ #6 Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones. Bones demineralize as they age and when this normal destruction exceeds bone formation, osteoporosis develops. Patients who suffer from osteoporosis have bones that are thin and porous and as a result, the bones fracture easily. Fractures are not only a financial burden to patients, but they also increase the patient’s risk of morbidity and mortality. Fifty percent of women and twenty-five percent of men will suffer from a fracture as a result of osteoporosis in their lifetime. Individuals are at risk for osteoporosis if there is familial history of the disease. However, research has shown that the risk of the disease and the effects of the disease can be reduced if people participate in weight bearing aerobic exercise, take calcium and vitamin D supplements and, for postmenopausal women, take hormone supplements. According to the readings I found, once osteoporosis is established, it is difficult to treat. So, preventative efforts are of greatest importance. Parents need to assure that their children are getting adequate nutrition and adults need to take preventative measures to stop or slow bone loss. Additionally, by not smoking, or stopping smoking, individuals improve their chances of fighting the disease. Ross JA. Podiatry Management, 2009 Jun; 28 (5): 195-204. Osteoporosis -- the fall that causes the fracture Taylor, Carol R., Lillis, Carol, LeMone, Priscilla, Lynn, Pamela. (7th Ed.). (2011). Fundamentals of Nursing:...
Words: 268 - Pages: 2
...range from bone cancers to the degenerative bone disease of osteoporosis. This paper presents the disease of osteoporosis by defining it, and outlining its causes, symptoms, testing and diagnosis, and treatment. Bones consist of living tissue and are constantly being broken down and replaced. Bone building cells called osteoblasts help to build and strengthen bones while bone cells called osteoclasts role is to reabsorb bone cells. This process is constant throughout one’s lifetime. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by reduced bone strength that makes it more vulnerable to fracture. Bone strength is measured by establishing bone mineral density (BMD), which is also called bone mass. People suffering from osteoporosis have low bone mass. Osteoporosis is a significant health problem that affects more than 25 million people in the United States alone. 80% of those affected by osteoporosis are women. (Melton) Osteoporosis is most prevalent in women 50 years and older. Osteoporosis is also responsible for numerous fractures around bones such as vertebrae, hip, and femur. (Brunner, Eshilian-Oates) Osteoporosis has no single cause. Bone health is attributed to factors such as bone formation as a child and early adult, and the level of exercise bones have experienced, especially early in life. A drop in estrogen during menopause in women and a drop in testosterone in men can lead to diminished bone loss and osteoporosis (Clinician’s...
Words: 789 - Pages: 4
...Osteoporosis affects millions of people in the United States. The most affected age group is post menopausal women and the elderly. As many as 32% of women and 17% of men up to the age of 90 will suffer at least one fracture of the hip, spine, wrist, or other susceptible bone attributable to osteoporosis ( Pamela W McCoy, Dec 2001). Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bone tissue deteriorates to a point where the bone becomes fragile and may fracture with minimal trauma. There are many risk factors for osteoporosis. These include; genetic, nutritional and behavioral. For many years there has been research to find treatment for osteoporosis. For postmenopausal women the drug that is preferred is estrogen. Bisphosphonates and calcitonin are useful for those who cannot take estrogen. For men bisphosphonates is the only treatment. Supplements of calcium and regular exercise help prevent or slow down the rate of bone loss. Osteoporosis progresses for many years without causing symptoms. But some signs are decreased bone strength which result in deformities of the skeleton, lack of bone density which can cause loss of height and bone quality which makes bone more fragile and prone to fractures. Many levels of the hierarchy are unmet with osteoporosis. There are the physiological needs which are the basic physical needs. A person with osteoporosis can have pain due to deformities and can also fall into the body integrity need. Rest is also a need because the person may not...
Words: 953 - Pages: 4
...What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a progressive disease that causes bones to become thin and brittle, making them more likely to break. Osteoporosis may result in broken bones (fractures) in the spine and hip. Hip fractures often require hospitalization, and fractures of the bones in the spine (vertebrae) can cause loss of height and severe back pain. Both may lead to permanent disability. Whether you develop osteoporosis depends on the thickness of your bones early in life, as well as health, diet, and physical activity later in life. See an illustration of healthy bone versus bone weakened by osteoporosis. What causes osteoporosis? During childhood and teen years, new bone is added faster than existing bone is absorbed by the body. After age 30, this process begins to reverse. As a natural part of aging, bone dissolves and is absorbed faster than new bone is made, and bones become thinner. You are more apt to have osteoporosis if you did not reach your ideal bone thickness (bone mineral density) during your childhood and teenage years. Not getting enough calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus may contribute to bone thinning. After age 50, lower levels of estrogen in women and of testosterone in men may speed up bone loss. If your mother, father, or a sibling has osteoporosis, your risk for the disease may be higher. What are the symptoms of osteoporosis? • Back pain. • Loss of height and stooped posture. • A curved backbone (dowager's hump). • Fractures that...
Words: 259 - Pages: 2
...Osteoporosis A chronic disease is a prolonged illness that does not resolve spontaneously and is rarely cured (Donatelle, 2011, p. 353). There are many horrible, chronic diseases that affect a great deal of adults, but one of the worse is Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition that, although progresses painlessly, causes the bones to become fragile and break very easily. It is caused by calcium leaving the bones faster than it should, and causes lower bone density, thus more fractures. Calcium is a mineral that gives the bones strength, and can be found in dairy products, broccoli, turnip greens, tofu, eggs, and fish like salmon or sardines eaten with the bones. Bone density is the measure of how strong bones are, and low bone density is the cause of Osteoporosis. Most commonly, wrist, hip, and spine factures happen as a result of this disease, but it can also cause hospitalization, surgery, life-long disability, or even death. Osteoporosis affects 1 out of every 2 women over the age of 50, and is 4 time more likely to affect a woman than it is a man ("Www.Powerflexweb.com", 2013). There are many factors that play into whether this disease will impact a person’s life, some are modifiable, some are not. Family history, estrogen deficiency, ethnicity, and body frame are all non-modifiable, or unchangeable, risk factors. A risk factor is any detail, in a person’s life, that will affect the chances of them getting a certain disease. Even though there are some factors that...
Words: 625 - Pages: 3
...Introduction Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue, decreasing its strength, resulting in fragile bones. Bone is a living tissue that is continually being broken down and recovered. Osteoporosis occurs when the pace of creation of the new bone doesn't keep up with the pace of the removal ones, causing an abnormally porous bones, making it compressible like a sponge. This disorder of the skeleton weakens the bone and results in fractures (breaks) in the bones. Most frequent fractures occur in the hip, wrist or spine. Osteoporosis is often known as “the silent thief” because bone loss occurs without symptoms. DEFINITION OF OSTEOPOROSIS A skeletal disorder portrayed by compromised bone strength, which predisposes to a higher possibilities of fractures is called osteoporosis (Camacho, Miller, 2007). World Health Organization (WHO) define osteoporosis as an illness by low bone mass and microarchitectural degradation of bone tissue, leading to augmented bone fragility and a consequent increase in fracture peril....
Words: 938 - Pages: 4
...Calcium and Osteoporosis My topic for my presentation was Calcium and Osteoporosis, which is a disease in which bones become fragile and are easy to fracture or break. Usually the bone loses density which measures the amount of calcium and minerals in the bone. It’s also called the “silent disease” because it progresses without any symptoms until either a break or fracture occurs. I focused on how calcium intake can either contribute to preventing the disease, or hurt you if you don’t get enough calcium in your diet to help maintain a healthy optimal bone mass. My topic relates to nutrition in a couple of ways. When having the disease of Osteoporosis you have to take in a certain amount of vitamins and minerals to be able to maintain a healthy bone structure. For example, one of the main minerals needed that has a certain amount of intake you should receive is calcium. By in taking calcium it helps you maintain a strong bone structure and also prevents calcium loss in bones as you get older. Another way that it relates to nutrition is that by having osteoporosis there is a strict dietary guideline on what you should eat to help you maintain calcium in your diet. Dairy products that help you maintain calcium are milk, yogurt, and cheese. There are also none dairy products that provide calcium such as fortified juices, cereals, oatmeal, beans, legumes, dark leafy greens ,and nuts. Some implications for my topic are that it helps people understand that osteoporosis can be...
Words: 1030 - Pages: 5
...Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a common bone disease that decreases bone mass and density which causes the bones to become weak and brittle, more likely to fracture. In osteoporosis, the bone mineral density (BMD) is reduced, bone structure deteriorates, and proteins in bone are altered. Osteoporosis occurs when the body fails to form enough new bone, when too much existing bone is reabsorbed by the body, or both. The most common cause of osteoporosis is genetics. Some people inherit the risk from their parents. Other risks include not having enough calcium to build new bone tissue. Calcium is one of the important minerals needed by your body for bones to form. If your body doesn’t get enough calcium and vitamin D, or doesn’t absorb enough calcium from your diet, your bones may become brittle and likely to fracture. Smoking and childhood diseases are also risk factors. The disease may be classified as primary type 1, primary type 2, or secondary. Osteoporosis most common in women after menopause is referred to as primary type 1 or postmenopausal osteoporosis, which is attributable to the decrease in estrogen production after menopause. Primary type 2 osteoporosis or senile osteoporosis occurs after age 75 and is seen in both females and males. Secondary osteoporosis may arise at any age and affect men and women. This comes from chronic medical problems or disease, or prolonged use of medications such as glucocorticoids. There are many ways to diagnose osteoporosis. The most...
Words: 332 - Pages: 2
...Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become brittle. Once an individual develops this condition, she is more susceptible to bone fractures and breaks. One of the main causes of this condition is a diet that lacks calcium and vitamin D. Also, certain populations are more prone to develop this degenerative disease. For example, women tend to suffer from osteoporosis more than men. And in particular, women who do not receive adequate amounts of the above mentioned nutrients are more likely to develop the disease. This does not bode well for certain ethnic groups that have higher incidences of lactose intolerance, such as Chinese Americans. According to National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Asian American women are at high risk for developing osteoporosis (porous bones), a disease that is preventable and treatable. Studies show that Asian Americans share many...
Words: 513 - Pages: 3
