In the article, we will consider what kind of disease is osteoporosis.
The disease is a progressive systemic pathology of the skeleton. It is characterized by metabolic disorders of bone tissue, defects in bone microarchitectonics and a decrease in their density, which causes an increase in the probability of fractures.
Factors and causes of development
What are the causes of the disease? Osteoporosis can develop due to reasons such as long-term tobacco smoking, excessive addiction to alcohol, digestive disorders, metabolic disorders, etc. Osteoporosis occurs in old age because calcium and a number of nutrients begin to be poorly absorbed. The most common cause of the development of the disease is hormonal failure. Osteoporosis is mainly observed during menopause in women. And the point here is not so much in the calcium deficiency in the human body (it is just enough), but in the disruption of the functioning of building bone cells. These phenomena occur due to an imbalance of hormones, so a woman in this case needs to visit a gynecologist and, if necessary, undergo hormonal therapy.
What kind of disease is osteoporosis is interesting to many.
The fact that bones become more fragile with age is a natural phenomenon in physiology. But for some people, these processes are happening at an accelerated pace. This is facilitated by factors, including:
- Mongoloid or Caucasoid race;
- female;
- thinning of bones;
- genetic predisposition;
- advanced age (over 65 years);
- frequent use of a number of drugs (for example, anticonvulsants and corticosteroids);
- lack of vitamin D;
- smoking;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages;
- defects in the digestive system;
- disorders of the ovaries;
- hormonal changes that occur during menopause;
- defects in the adrenal gland;
- other pathologies of the endocrine glands.
According to the history of the disease, osteoporosis, regarding its senile appearance, it should be noted that it develops due to a lack of calcium - if the rate of destruction of bone tissue prevails over the rate of formation of new bone tissue. This type of osteoporosis is usually characteristic of people after 70 years. Senile osteoporosis, according to statistics, is almost twice as common in women, this is more than 95% of the situations associated with the postmenopausal period. Osteoporosis in less than 5% of cases is associated with the use of certain drugs or other diseases. This is the so-called secondary type of osteoporosis that develops against the background of diseases of the endocrine glands, kidneys and other disorders that lead to structural and functional defects in bone tissue. The idiopathic type of osteoporosis is also highlighted (mainly in young patients). This is a rather rare form of the disease, the cause of which has not yet been established. Idiopathic osteoporosis can develop in children, infants and young people when all the hormones in them are normal. In addition, such patients do not have diseases that could lead to the formation of the disease.
We continue to understand what kind of disease, and how to treat osteoporosis?
Disease classification
In terms of prevalence, there are:
- systemic osteoporosis;
- local osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis, depending on the cause of the occurrence, is divided into these types:
- primary (due to the natural processes of aging in the human body);
- idiopathic (juvenile and in middle-aged patients);
- postmenopausal (type I);
- senile (type II);
- secondary (for any external reasons or because of diseases): with rheumatic diseases, connective tissue disorders (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis); with blood diseases; with endocrine disruption; with pathology of the digestive tract; with kidney disease; with other conditions and diseases;
- according to morphological criteria: cortical (loss of cortical substance); trabecular (loss of spongy matter); mixed types.
What kind of disease is osteoporosis, everyone should know.
Symptoms
For a long time, the disease can be hidden. The disease most often affects the vertebral bodies. Often a single vertebral fracture proceeds without symptoms, and pain occurs when a number of adjacent vertebral bodies fracture. The most characteristic signs of osteoporosis are spinal deformity and pain. The pain is characterized by acute onset, gives to the front wall of the peritoneal cavity along the intercostal spaces. Attacks usually occur when coughing, abrupt torso, weight lifting, sneezing and jumping. In the morning the pain is less pronounced, during the day it grows, in the supine position it subsides. This is what this disease is.
Symptoms of osteoporosis, indirectly talking about the disease, are:
- excessive fatigue (indicates a deterioration in material metabolism or a general weakening of the body);
- leg cramps, which occur mainly at night;
- too much plaque on the teeth;
- increased fragility of nails, a tendency to exfoliate;
- pain in the lumbar region and in the bones;
- rather early appearance of gray hair (such a symptom is rarely observed);
- digestive upsets;
- hernias of the intervertebral discs (formed due to the fragility of bone structures);
- prediabetes and the very onset of diabetes are an indirect sign of the onset of osteoporosis;
- a feeling of heaviness in the interscapular region;
- change in growth downward;
- curvature of the spine.
Muscle weakness is also observed. This often distinguishes the disease osteoporosis. Symptoms of this disease can also be weight loss, changes in posture, permanent bone fractures without damaging effects (most often the wrist joint area, neck of the thigh, vertebrae are damaged).
Patient Actions
We described the main symptoms of osteoporosis. What kind of disease it is is now clear.
To prevent progression, it is advisable to take walks and jogs, dance, etc. You need to constantly be monitored by a doctor and follow his recommendations. There should be a healthy diet with an optimal concentration of vitamin D and calcium. In a diet, you need to adhere to such principles:
- the overwhelming intake of soluble forms of calcium (fermented milk products);
- reduce consumption or completely abandon salty foods, coffee, alcohol, smoking, removing calcium from the body;
- phosphorus, potassium and magnesium are important in the absorption of calcium, according to these trace elements, the diet should be balanced;
- in sufficient quantities it should contain products in which there are a lot of elements such as vitamin K, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, manganese, copper, boron, zinc, silicon.
Diagnostics
The following diagnostic methods are used to determine bone osteoporosis disease:
- collection of medical history and clinical examination;
- radiation diagnostics (densitometric methods, tomography, radiography);
- biopsy analysis;
- biochemical studies.
The examination is prescribed by a doctor.
Treatment methods
What kind of disease and how to treat osteoporosis?
Therapy is aimed at enhancing bone strength. If the disease is mild, taking calcium supplements in combination with vitamin D is sufficient. If osteoporosis is progressive or severe, estrogen is prescribed for postmenopausal women to help slow down the development of the disease. For prophylactic purposes and for treatment, estrogens are often combined with progesterone. Also, in the treatment of osteoporosis, bisphosphonates (clodronic, zoledronic, alendronic, ibandronic acid) are useful. Thanks to them, there is a slowdown in bone rarefaction, bone mass increases, and the possibility of fractures decreases. Many doctors advise people who have vertebral fractures to take calcitonin. Fluoride compounds also help to increase bone density, but in this case, the bones that are forming become fragile. If osteoporosis affects men with joint disease, with a low degree of testosterone in the blood, drugs that replenish the level of the hormone are used.
It is necessary to treat directly fractures that occur as a result of the disease. With a hip fracture, prosthetics of the hip bone or part of it is often necessary. If a vertebral fracture occurs, immobilization is carried out, physiotherapy and analgesics are used, but the pain often persists for a long time. If the patient has a wrist fracture, he is given plaster and a surgical reposition is done.
Osteoporosis and urolithiasis
This is a medical and social problem. There are general pathogenetic principles for the development of OP and ICD, one of which is the appearance of secondary hyperparathyroidism with hypocalcemia and a lack of vitamin D, which leads to increased bone resorption and, as a result, defects in the structural and functional state of bone tissue and ICD. Given the different management tactics of patients, depending on the level of changes in bone tissue mineral density, the presence of risk and the history of fractures in combination with the ICD, integration with other disciplines is required in order to effectively and safely treat comorbid disorders. The use of active metabolites of alfacalcidol (vitamin D) for the correction of secondary hyperparathyroidism in the treatment of osteoporosis of a complex nature is an effective method, at the same time, the combination of ICD and OP needs additional correction, which is aimed at eliminating stones from the urinary system.
Alternative treatment
The doctor prescribes medication for osteoporosis. But there are folk recipes. 85% of patients with this diagnosis are older women. Their body ceased to produce estrogen, its deficiency also causes destruction of bones. There are products with phytoestrogen, plants that make up for the loss of the hormone: these are cereals, legumes; fruits (red grapes, pomegranates, apples); red clover, hops, flax, licorice; beer, red wine (can not be abused).
It should be noted that calcium is not absorbed due to plants with oxalic acid: rhubarb, sorrel, tomatoes, etc.
Typically, alternative treatment for osteoporosis consists in the use of tinctures, decoctions designed to normalize the balance of hormones and the absorption of trace elements by the body. For example, the infusion of one of such plants as Cinquefoil, comfrey root, alfalfa, juniper berries, budra, helps calcium to be absorbed. The grass is poured with chilled boiled water, infused for two hours and drunk per day.
The same spore, geranium or horsetail infusions normalize the absorption of silicon, which also contributes to bone strength. These plants are used in compresses for fractures.
You can take the mummy.
Salad is also used: boil seven tablespoons of ordinary sugar in two glasses of water for two minutes. Grind, add grated horseradish (25 grams), sour cream (20 grams), a pinch of salt. Every day, eat freshly prepared.
Break five eggs, mix with two tablespoons of honey. Boil the shell, rinse, dry and crush into powder. Squeeze the juice of five lemons into it, mix both mixtures after five days, adding 50 ml of cahors or cognac. Take once a day 30 ml. Take three courses with three-day breaks.
Men are recommended infusion of field yura, calamus and especially celery. Pour one tablespoon of grass with boiled cold water (half a liter), insist for eight hours and strain. Drink in equal parts during the day half an hour before a meal.
For women, cut dry leaves of any herb (alfalfa, chandra, fenugreek and especially sage) in the amount of one tablespoon, brew with two glasses of boiled water, wrap and insist for half an hour, strain. Drink the infusion warm for a month, on an empty stomach, one glass every morning. After a three month break, the course can be repeated.
Prevention and Complications of Osteoporosis
We talked about what disease is insidious osteoporosis.
Its main complications are fractures of the peripheral bones and spine, which lead to temporary disability, disability and high mortality.
As a prevention, it is desirable:
- eat right (foods with calcium - cheeses, sesame seeds, cabbage, etc., as well as phosphorus, potassium and magnesium);
- ensure the production of vitamin D in sufficient quantities, without which it is impossible to absorb calcium (ultraviolet irradiation course as prescribed by a rheumatologist, sunbathing, etc.);
- physical activity (walking, cycling, dancing, horse riding, swimming); weight lifting, inclinations, excessive load are contraindicated;
- minimize risk factors as much as possible;
- observe safety precautions - protect yourself from sudden movements, bumps and falls.
Reviews
Patients say that osteoporosis is treatable, but this should be done regularly for several years. First of all, you need to eliminate risk factors, take vitamin D and calcium sufficiently, other drugs that increase bone strength, regularly engage in physical exercises.
Patients are advised to make changes to the diet. There are more dairy products, cheese, fish, cottage cheese, seeds and nuts. To be in the sun so that vitamin D is produced in the skin. If the winter in the region of residence is long, its production practically ceases. However, vitamin is found in a number of products, for example, in fatty varieties of fish (salmon, sardines, herring). Vitamin D and calcium can be drunk in the form of vitamins, in which case breaks are not required.
It is recommended that you consume less salt with food, which reduces bone density.
In addition, patients with this diagnosis indicate the importance of performing exercises and the exclusion of strength training, jumping, which can cause injury or exacerbate pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Do not forget to warm up. When pain occurs, you should slow down or cancel the exercise for a while, replace it with a lighter one.
The article provided information about what kind of disease is osteoporosis.