Lately I have suffered bad times due to illness, that is why I have given myself the job of investigating certain diseases that are very common but that we as individuals often underestimate or simply ignore. In this way by means of some post's I have taken the task of wanting to inform you a little about medicine and how to prevent some diseases.
Every three seconds a person in the world is fractured because of osteoporosis, according to reports from the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). A timely diagnosis can reveal if you suffer from or are at risk of suffering from this silent disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines it as a disease characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of the structure of bone tissue, with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures.
Genetics, sedentary lifestyle, cigarette smoking, menopause, low body mass, low bone mineral density, prolonged use of corticosteroids and advanced age, among others, are the main risk factors to suffer it.
It occurs mostly in women, although more and more men join the list. The process is progressive, and if preventive or specific treatment measures are not taken, it will progress from normal to osteopenia, or from osteopenia to osteoporosis over time.
When menopause arrives, and with it the cessation of estrogen production, the loss of bone mass accelerates. The sedentary lifestyle plays a preponderant role to develop it.
The WHO estimates that one in three women over 50 will have a fracture due to osteoporosis throughout their lives. Among the risks posed by osteoporosis are the most important injuries in the hips and the crushing of the lumbar vertebrae. Mortality in the first year after a fracture is approximately 20%.
Prevention begins during childhood through youth, because the bone mass acquired during these stages is a determining factor in the risk of suffering from the disease. The higher the bone mass, the lower the risk of osteoporosis. The optimal development of skeleton in childhood reduces the risk of osteoporotic fractures in adulthood by 50%.
Osteoporosis can be prevented and controlled in an appropriate and timely manner, so it is recommended to perform the bone density test after age 40 to know what conditions your body is in and detect any early changes. Likewise, ingesting calcium or foods rich in it, doing exercises, among others, will help you to prevent the disease. At the same time, it is important to point out that medication has advanced, both scientifically and technologically.
In the case of presenting the disease, you can stop and get to normal with the use of special drugs that synthesize the bone again.
