Osteoporosis

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a progressive disease that causes gaps to form in the bones, increasing their risk of fracture. As living tissue, bone constantly replenishes itself. When old tissue dies, new bone replaces it to keep your bones strong and durable. Osteoporosis occurs when this process doesn’t happen quickly enough.

If you have osteoporosis, your new tissue takes too long to replace old bone, causing the pores in the bones to grow. 

Osteoporosis often takes several years to develop. Since the condition rarely causes symptoms in its early stages, you may not realize you have osteoporosis until it advances.

Why does osteoporosis develop?

Medical experts don’t know exactly why osteoporosis develops. The inside of the bone looks similar to a sponge with a hard shell that covers it. When you have osteoporosis, the small holes in the spongy bone grow, increasing your vulnerability to fractures.

Your body replaces more bone than it loses until age 30 when this process starts to slow. Osteoporosis accelerates this process, leading to bone fractures.

Your risk of osteoporosis increases with specific factors, including: 

• Being a woman
• Going through menopause
• Having a low body mass and a small frame
• Consuming too little calcium
• Smoking cigarettes

High alcohol consumption can also increase your chances of developing osteoporosis as you age.

What are the signs of osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is typically a silent disease that develops without symptoms. Over time, you may experience:

• Bone fractures
• Lower back pain
• Posture changes
• Stooping forward
• Shortness of breath

Without treatment, osteoporosis can also shorten your height. If you lose an inch or more in height, schedule an appointment with Dr. Arne to test your bone density.

What are the treatments for osteoporosis?

If Dr. Arne suspects you have osteoporosis, he may order a bone density scan. Gulfshore Personalized Care has seen a high correlation between patients who undergo hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause and an increase in their bone density scans year after year. 

Dr. Arne uses this vital information to compose an individualized osteoporosis treatment plan, which may include:

• Hormone therapy
• Fall prevention techniques
• Bone-building medications
• Smoking cessation
• Lower alcohol consumption

Call Gulfshore Personalized Care today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about osteoporosis.