Osteoporosis
In very simple terms, Osteoporosis is a condition related to the human bone. A bone afflicted with Osteoporosis will look akin to a honeycomb when inspected under a microscope. Consequently, the bone becomes porous and weak enough to break even at the pressure of a sneeze. Thus, patients with Osteoporosis often find it difficult to handle daily tasks, as even a bump against the corner of the coffee table may break the bone and prove to be an extremely painful.
Osteoporosis happens when the human bone becomes significantly less dense than the normal amount, and develops enough gaps to make it extremely weak and susceptible to strain. What is even worrisome is the fact that approximately fifty-four million people seem to be afflicted with it, with the condition being more common in women than men. Evidently, one in two women and one in every four men over the age of fifty may have osteoporosis.
Ironically, most people do not realize that they have osteoporosis until it too late. Breaking bones is a common enough thing for people, with most opting out of a bone density test every time it happens. The condition, however, is more deadly than the description lets on because it is not possible for a person to feel his or her bones weakening. One of the early signs of the conditions, although, is to feel one’s upper back curving, due to the spine bending. Therefore, it is highly recommended for people experiencing the same to get them examined. Other symptoms include the frequent backache and recurring fractures of the hip, spine and wrist.
Overall, Osteoporosis is the sole cause of more than two million fractures every year and requires an annual expenditure of 19 billion dollars. Even after the statistics, it is troublesome that most people do not seem to take it seriously. The broken bones due to Osteoporosis cause immense pain that may not abate for longer periods. The condition causes the bones to thin severely in extreme cases and compromise their healing capacity and strength.
Not only does it cause you to have frequent injuries due to small falls, such as ones from the bed, Osteoporosis is also the reason for a bad posture. Twenty percent of people suffering from injuries due to Osteoporosis lose their lives within the coming year. Thus, it is highly recommended for people to get checked out before it is too late to detect this silent killer.
