Osteoporosis is a dangerous disease that is associated with a violation of the structure of bone tissue, weakening of the skeleton and fragility of bones. This is a fairly common ailment, especially when it comes to elderly people, because as the body ages, bone tissues begin to lose their strength. That is why many people are interested in the question of what treatment for osteoporosis in older women looks like.
The fact is that women are more likely to suffer from this disease, which is associated with hormonal changes during menopause. So what are the symptoms of the disease? Is there any way to prevent the development of osteoporosis? What treatment methods does modern medicine offer? Answers to these questions will be useful to many readers.
Osteoporosis: what is the essence of the disease?
Osteoporosis is a dangerous ailment that is also popularly known as bone fragility disease. The disease is associated with a decrease in bone density, a kind of “thinning”, as a result of which the skeleton becomes more fragile, more susceptible to various kinds of injuries and deformations.
Normal bone formation is a process that is possible with a complex of factors. In particular, the body needs a sufficient amount of calcium (a kind of building material), zinc, magnesium and other minerals. Normal absorption of calcium occurs when there is a sufficient amount of vitamin D in the body. This substance is formed in human skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays. Nevertheless, in some cases, vitamin deficiency develops, which, of course, affects the structure of bone tissue.
In addition, the process of bone formation is also regulated by hormones. In particular, biologically active substances such as parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, growth hormone , and estrogen in women, are also important. That is why female representatives are more susceptible to this disease, because against the background of menopause, a significant change in the level of sex hormones is observed.
According to statistical studies, the maximum bone strength in women is observed at the age of 30. Further, as the body ages, the structure of bone tissue changes, the skeleton becomes more fragile.
The main causes of the development of the disease in women
Before considering the treatment of osteoporosis in older women, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the main causes of the development of this disease. In fact, there are a huge number of risk factors that can be divided into several main groups:
- If we are talking about female osteoporosis, then the first thing worth mentioning is menopause. The fact is that during menopause there is a persistent decrease in estrogen, and these hormones are very important for the normal metabolism of calcium in the body. As a rule, problems with bone strength begin to appear after 50 years.
- Osteoporosis, developing after 70 years, is called "senile" and is associated not only with a decrease in the number of hormones, but also with age-related changes in metabolism.
- Secondary osteoporosis may be associated with certain medications. It also develops against the background of other diseases, including renal failure, endocrine system lesions.
- Risk factors include poor lifestyle, unbalanced diet, strict diets, smoking, alcohol and caffeine abuse, drug addiction, etc.
Osteoporosis: Symptoms in Women
Unfortunately, the initial stages of the disease are rarely accompanied by any serious signs of deterioration. However, some changes can be noticed. So what are the signs of osteoporosis?
Symptoms in women include discomfort and stiffness during movement, pain in the joints. Sometimes patients complain of severe pain in the lower back and back, especially if they have to spend a long time on their feet or sleep in an uncomfortable bed. It is noted that the growth of a patient with osteoporosis decreases by 1.5–3 centimeters, and this is a serious reason to consult a doctor.
Due to bone tissue weakness, women often develop various spinal deformities, including scoliosis and the so-called widow's hump. At later stages of the development of the disease, patients often become frequent visitors to trauma rooms, because even the slightest blow can lead to a bone fracture.
Why is osteoporosis dangerous?
In fact, this ailment is very dangerous. Fragile bones significantly reduce a woman's quality of life, limit mobility, and cause constant pain and discomfort. At later stages of development, the disease can lead to spontaneous fractures. By the way, wrists and radius bones are most often injured. Fracture in the elderly, especially with impaired calcium metabolism, grows together very slowly.
If we are talking about a fracture of the head of the hip joint, then approximately 80% of elderly patients after an injury cannot recover completely, and therefore they are confined to a wheelchair for the rest of their lives. Severe forms of osteoporosis deprive a person of mobility, and therefore, the ability to independently take care of themselves.
Modern diagnostic methods
If you have any deterioration in health or the slightest suspicion of osteoporosis, you should consult a doctor. First, a specialist will conduct a general examination and collect an anamnesis. An accurate diagnosis will require several additional studies. In particular, women are advised to be tested for sex hormones. It is also necessary to find out the features of calcium metabolism in the body.
To date, bone densitometry is the most accurate diagnostic method. This is a relatively new procedure that allows you to determine the presence of the disease in the early stages. The essence of the technique is in ultrasound examination of bones, and during the procedure you can even determine the minimum decrease in bone density (about 5%). An X-ray examination is also informative, however, it allows you to detect changes only if the bone strength has decreased by 15% or more.
Osteoporosis: treatment, drugs and other therapies
Drug treatment is primarily aimed at eliminating the deficiency of vitamins, calcium and other minerals. That is why patients are primarily prescribed calcium tablets in tablets, as well as a solution of vitamin D3, which must be taken in combination.
Preparations - bisphosphonates, contribute to the restoration of normal bone mass. When it comes to osteoporosis associated with menopause, patients are prescribed hormonal drugs, in particular estrogen, and the hormone calcitonin, which stimulates the flow of calcium into bone tissue from the blood.
Diet for osteoporosis
Treatment of osteoporosis in older women necessarily includes proper nutrition. The essence of diet therapy is to provide the body with the substances necessary for building normal bone tissue.
Naturally, the diet should include a sufficient amount of calcium-containing foods, namely cottage cheese, hard cheese, dried apricots, almonds, sardines, sesame, spinach and turnip leaves. For the formation of new bone tissue, the body needs magnesium, which is found in dairy products, leafy vegetables, and walnuts. The diet should include foods rich in zinc: these are seafood, some varieties of fish, legumes, celery, sunflower seeds and pumpkins.
It is also recommended to eat foods rich in B vitamins. Therefore, it is necessary to include lentils, eggs, beef, ham, milk, bananas, soy, brown bread, citrus fruits, buckwheat, chicken, oysters, etc. in the diet.
Age and health are closely interlinked. Therefore, you must strictly adhere to the correct nutritional scheme. By the way, there is a category of products that are prohibited in osteoporosis. The first thing worth mentioning is caffeine, which leaches calcium from bones. Therefore, patients with this ailment should exclude coffee, cocoa and products that contain it (in particular, chocolate), as well as carbonated drinks with caffeine (for example, energy drinks) from the diet. It is important to abandon alcohol - in severe forms of the disease it is strictly contraindicated. It is worth limiting the amount of animal fats (mutton and beef tallow, mayonnaise, margarine, butter), as they “bind” calcium.
The lifestyle of women with this disease
Naturally, such a dangerous ailment requires not only drug therapy, but also lifestyle changes. So what rules should patients with a diagnosis of osteoporosis adhere to? The doctor, of course, will talk about this in more detail, but therapy includes not only taking medications, but also proper nutrition and special strengthening gymnastics.
In addition, older women are advised to be careful, because with brittle bones, any injury can lead to a fracture. That is why it is worth abandoning excessive physical activity. Sometimes in the first weeks or even months of treatment, the doctor even recommends the patient a strict bed rest followed by slow rehabilitation.
Physical activity to combat bone fragility
Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis necessarily include physical activity. For example, women over 35 are advised to regularly carry out feasible training. You can do gymnastics, morning jogging. A positive effect on health is swimming. The main goal of physical therapy is to strengthen muscles as much as possible in order to remove the load from the skeleton and, accordingly, reduce the risk of injuries and fractures.
The treatment of osteoporosis in older women also includes therapeutic exercises, but in this case we are talking about classes with a specialist. As a rule, all exercises are carried out in a sitting or lying position to relieve tension from the joints. Good health will be affected by slow long walks. By the way, gymnastics with osteoporosis should be regular - classes can last only a few minutes, but according to the schedule and at least 2-3 times a week.
Are there alternative treatments?
Now you already know what osteoporosis, treatment, drugs and other methods of combating the disease are. Can traditional medicine help the patient? Of course, there is a very impressive list of home remedies. For example, some healers recommend every day to take half a teaspoon of chopped eggshell, quenched with a small amount of lemon juice - this will help eliminate calcium deficiency.
Good health effects will affect the intake of decoction of horsetail (100 g of grass pour a liter of milk, bring to a boil and let it brew; take a glass three times a day). Nevertheless, it should be understood that such funds can only be used with the permission of a doctor.
Effective Disease Prevention Methods
Unfortunately, there is no medicine that can permanently protect a person from the development of this disease. So what does the prevention of osteoporosis in women look like? Here, as in treatment, an integrated approach is needed. After 35-40 years, women are advised to carefully monitor their health. In particular, an important part of prevention is proper, balanced nutrition. It is very important that the body receives a sufficient amount of not only calcium, but also vitamins of group D, since only they ensure the absorption of the mineral and maintain the normal structure of bone tissue.
Prevention of osteoporosis in women includes moderate physical activity. This does not mean that you need to deplete the body - it is recommended to engage in feasible physical labor and special gymnastics in order to maintain muscle tone.
During and after menopause, if necessary, women should undergo hormone therapy. Do not refuse drugs that are recommended by the doctor. And of course, twice a year you need to undergo a scheduled preventive medical examination. Do not forget that treating any disease is much easier if it was diagnosed at an early stage of development.