Joint & Bone Disorders
Osteoporosis is a condition in which there is a loss of mineral part of the bone and thinning and disintegration of the spongy part of the bone. All this leads to propensity of the bone to break. Fractures (breaks) of the hip or spine are main complications but other bones are affected, too. Osteoporosis treatment is aimed to prevent fractures. Osteoporosis is much more common in females than in males because bone minerals are lost very fast 3-8 years after menopause.
Osteoporosis and related conditions
Osteoporosis is a common condition of elderly men and women. It is caused by lack of load-bearing exercise, ageing, and oestrogen deficiency. As oestrogen is manufactured in fat, it affects thin people more. Bones become thin, as there is a shortage of the organic scaffolding that holds calcium. Women patients can be treated with oestrogens, and both sexes are advised to take load-bearing exercise such as walking and running, but this is often not feasible and sufferers have to cope with spinal deformity (the dowager’s hump), increased risk of fractures, and pain.
Treatment of joint problems depends on the cause. If you have a sports injury, treatment often begins with the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) method to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and speed healing. Other possible treatments include pain relievers, keeping the injured area from moving, rehabilitation, and sometimes surgery. For arthritis, injuries, or other diseases, you may need joint replacement surgery to remove the damaged joint and put in a new one.