Osteoporosis is a lessening of the strength and density of your body’s bones, making them much more susceptible to breakage. Menopausal women especially commonly experience this condition, as it is a normal occurrence for women as they age and grow weaker. Osteoporosis can be identified through recognition of several common symptoms.
Symptoms of Osteoporosis
There are usually very few symptoms of osteoporosis, making it a difficult condition to identify. Because it is usually shows no signs or symptoms, osteoporosis can easily lead to a broken or fractured bone before you are even aware of its existence within your body. Even if fracture or breakage occurs, osteoporosis may still elude detection, giving it the nickname of the “silent disease”.
Osteoporosis must be identified as early as possible to prevent the many side effects that accompany it. If you recognize any of the following, you may want to consider being diagnosed, as you indeed have osteoporosis:
1. Early symptoms:
Gradual deterioration of your bones is something that may go unnoticed until a fracture or break occurs. Often it is only through hospitalization that women realize their condition.
2. Aching muscles and tender bones:
The progression of osteoporosis often entails pain in the neck, along with various muscle aches and a general tenderness of the bones.3. Breaks or fractures:
Because osteoporosis deteriorates the bones and makes them weaker and less dense, fracturing and breakage of bones is not an uncommon accompaniment to usually benign falls or injuries. Fractures can even follow a bout of sneezing or coughing, or even a gentle bump. Fractures are the most common symptom of osteoporosis.4. Deformed spine:
Another very common symptom of osteoporosis is a stooped posture, scientifically called kyphosis and colloquially called “hunchback”. This stooped posture comes as a result of minute fractures within the spine due to vertebral compression.5. Loss of physical height:
Although commonly associated with aging in general, a loss of height can indicate the presence of several fractures from vertebral compression. If you have lost greater than two inches of physical height, you should definitely consider diagnostic testing, as this symptom is very common of osteoporosis sufferers.6. Pain in the back:
Another incredibly common symptom of osteoporosis is the presence of back pain. The presence of pain in the lower or upper back region is definite cause for concern, as this region is commonly affected by osteoporosis.7. Consult your doctor:
If you are concerned that you may have osteoporosis, a visit and consultation with your doctor is definitely warranted, as an early diagnosis is very beneficial and effective. This condition is completely treatable and preventable, so there is absolutely no reason to willfully ignore obvious symptoms of osteoporosis.What Causes Osteoporosis?
Hormonal imbalance is the cause of a huge array of menopausal symptoms, with osteoporosis being no exception. An imbalance of estrogen within your body that arises during menopause reduces your body’s ability to effectively control levels of osteoclasts, compounds that degenerate bone cells. The ratio between osteoclasts and osteoblasts (producers of bone cells) then becomes imbalanced, with osteoclasts taking precedence over their productive counterparts, resulting in rapid degeneration and weakening of your bones during menopause.
This imbalance causes a loss of bone density. Immense loss of bone density usually only manifests within menopausal women because of estrogen imbalance, but it also can occur within perimenopausal (pre-menopausal) women. Menopause and its ensuing hormonal imbalance may not be the only culprit of osteoporosis, as dietary choices may also influence the progression of the condition. A diet lacking vitamin D and calcium, poor control of weight, and a lack of regular exercise can all contribute to osteoporosis, furthering its influence over bone density and strength.
How to Treat Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis can best be alleviated by taking steps to balance and stabilize the levels of hormones within your body during menopause. This can be achieved by maintaining a healthy diet rich in essential nutrients and by following a regimen of regular exercise that promotes bone strength and balance. Minimalist exercises that aren’t especially strenuous or stressful for your bones are optimal. Having a diet rich in nutrients that promote bone strength, like vitamin D and calcium, is also an integral aspect of osteoporosis alleviation.
Learn how to treat osteoporosis naturally.
