Affecting almost one in three women throughout the UK, Osteoporosis treatments are being sought for this ailment that causes a weakening of the bones.
More suprising is that every year the rate of people that are inflicted with Osteoporosis is increasing by upto 10%.
Osteoporosis treatment and prevention is very well documented but we have to accept that sometimes there are problems. Our skeleton supports our body, but is under constant stress from a complete range of factors including cell growth, bone repair and of course bone damage. Like every other part of our body, sometimes this causes problems.
Making up our bones, the protein collagen makes a honeycomb structure. This is hardened by calcium and other essential minerals in our body. Inside the honeycomb, bone marrow fills the voids and contains cells which constantly breakdown old bone to replace it with new stronger bone. Eventually (after about 10 years) our bones become completely renewed and maintain their strength.
Bones reach maximum strength between 25-30 years old and they then weaken as we get older. The honeycomb voids become larger and the bone itself becomes weaker and more vulnerable to breaks.
There are certain groups that are more at risk of Osteoporosis than others. Surprisingly many people do not know they have the condition until they break a bone after a minor fall.
This weakening of bnes occurs with the onset of ageing, however it can also affect children and teenagers. In women another cause is loss of oestrogen from menopause, hysterectomy and infrequent period's linked to excessive exercise or anorexia.
If you have a family history of osteoporosis, this might be an indicator of susceptibility to the condition. Finally, if you smoke, do no exercise these factors all have links to osteoporosis.
Prevention is better than cure and so you must try to ensure you keep your bones strong by keeping a calcium rich diet. Take regular exercise and focus on weight bearing exercises which keep the bones strong and healthy.
There's numerous treatments available from Bisphosphonates (drugs that switch off the cells from breaking down bone) to HRT (hormone replacement therapy). Ther are also other sets of drugs that control the way bones 'operate'. Of course you must consult your Doctor before undertaking treatments for any condition.
