Causes, symptoms and prevention of diffuse osteoporosis of the spine

Diffuse osteoporosis is one of the most common diseases. It is believed that in the world, it affects over 200 million people. Flowing for a long time unnoticed, it is often revealed only when a person receives a bone fracture.

In osteoporosis, bone tissue becomes fragile, because of this increase the likelihood of fractures. People suffering from this disease, most often break bones in the hip, spine, and wrist.

What happens to the bone when illness

The Essence of the process taking place in the bones, is a violation of the balance of synthesis and resorption (resorption) of bone tissue. Under physiological conditions, these two processes are in balance. Increased resorption or a decrease in the synthesis leads to the appearance of osteoporotic changes.

Softening of the bones especially vulnerable older women are Caucasoid and Mongoloid races. However, the disease can "follow" and men.

There are many risk factors, resulting in loss of bone density. Some of them you can control and some are not. Risk factors which cannot influence, include the following items:

• gender: women suffer more often than men
• age: the older a person is, the higher the risk;
• race: the Caucasoids and Mongoloids sick more often than the representatives of the Negroid race;
• heredity: if one of the family members had osteoporosis, the chances are that you'll get sick too, above.

Factors that can be affected are:

1. the level of sex hormones: low estrogen in menopause or menstrual cycle contributes to the development of the disease in women; low testosterone increases the risk of bone fragility in men;
2. calcium and vitamin D in diet: low levels of these chemicals in the diet makes a person prone to softening of the bones;
3. certain medications (carbamazepine, furosemide, steroid hormones) contributes to "washing out" of calcium from bone tissue;
4. physical activity level: a person, a long time bedridden, softened bones;
5. Smoking: cigarettes are bad for skeletal tissues exactly the same as easy;
6. alcohol: alcohol abuse leads to bone fragility.

Characteristic symptoms

This disease has long asymptomatic because the bone loses its calcium gradually. People might not be aware of having osteoporosis until such time as a random drop on a flat spot will not fracture.

One of the symptoms is a decrease in growth. Due to the decrease in bone density occur vertebral fractures. As a result, the vertebrae are deformed by the type of wedge in the spine that carry the maximum load. Spine arched bends, a hump, and the growth becomes smaller.

due to the wedge-shaped deformation of the vertebrae may occur with pain in places of infringement of the nerves to exit the vertebral column.

May also develop lateral curvature of the spine – scoliosis.

diagnosis and treatment

Densitometry is considered the best test to check bone health. Using this method, you can examine the condition of the most vulnerable bones – the femoral neck and spine. The study is able to determine the bone density, the risk of fractures, as well as to monitor the effect of medical treatment.

Of Course, calcium rich diet and a healthy lifestyle with sufficient physical activity is the most important condition of successful treatment of diffuse osteoporosis. In severe cases requires the assignment of drugs.

Currently, unfortunately, there are no treatments that can fully restore the bone destroyed by disease. Appointed therapy aimed at preventing further soften skeletal tissues.

The first-line Drugs for osteoporosis are bisphosphonates (alendronic acid, etc.). A second line, ibandronic acid, also belongs to the bisphosphonates. The third level – oestrogens (raloxifene). The ineffectiveness of these measures may be calcitonin.

is it Possible to prevent disease

There are many ways to reduce the risk of disease. The first is to correct the diet. Eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. Calcium is especially rich with low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt. There are many products (for example, a mixture of grains to make porridge) that are specifically enriched in this mineral. Some people can benefit from taking vitamin D tablets.

The Second area of prevention is physical exercise. To make bones more robust, it is necessary to walk, climb stairs, dance, systematically to raise all possible goods.

The Third group of recommendations concerns bad habits. To preventsoftening of the bones need to quit Smoking. Do not abuse alcohol. In addition to direct effects on bone mineralization has another domestic aspect of alcoholism: drinking people often fall.

An Important section of the fight against osteoporosis is prevention of falls. The risk of getting an incurable spinal injury is too great to be neglected. Here are some useful tips:

• use the cane when walking on the street;
• wear shoes with low heels, providing a steady gait;
• home make sure that the rugs and carpets were fixed;
• do not walk around the house in stockings, socks and Slippers
• the bathroom walls must be attached to the crossbar, for which you can grab
• your home should be well lit, at night leave to light the bedside lamp.

Osteoporosis is not terrible in itself, but its complications, especially the pathologic fractures of the femoral neck and spine. To restore the bone, softened by illness, at the current level of development of medicine it is impossible. However, timely prevention and individualised drug treatment can stop the development of dangerous disease.