The Effects of Osteoporosis on the Body

Osteoporosis can have devastating effects on general physical function particularly mobility. It causes the progressive degeneration of the joints including the cartilage. The result is a bone on bone chafing that eventually wears the joint leaving you stiff, sore and having to manage severe inflammation. Learning how Osteoartrhitis occurs and its effects on the body can better help you understand comprehensive and efficient disease management.

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When you have osteoporosis, bone fractures are high on the list of concerns. You’ll want to take steps, like lifestyle changes and medicine, to help prevent them.

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The most common fractures for people who have osteoporosis are in the spine, hip, wrist, and forearm. They each have their own long-term effects, but they do have some things in common.

General Issues

No two fractures are exactly alike. The effects on your life depend on which bone you break and how serious it is. But some things you can expect include:

Pain. This is different for everyone. It might have a ripple effect on your other bones, muscles, and joints as you change the way you do things to try to make it hurt less. Living with pain also can affect your quality of life, sleep, and mood, sometimes leading to depression. Talk to your doctor, who can suggest ways to help.

Problems with movement. Spine and hip fractures in particular can make it hard for you to get around. They affect walking, bending, pushing, and pulling. You can get help by using tools like a cane, a walker, or long-handled reachers.

When you don’t move around much, you’re more likely to have problems like heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and mental health conditions, such as anxiety. Your doctor can help you find ways to prevent or treat these conditions.

Emotional issues. It can be tough when things that used to be simple take more time or energy because of an injury — or you can’t do them at all. It may also make it harder to get out of the house, see friends, and get back to your normal social life. All those can affect your relationships. See a mental health professional who can help you manage problems you might have with anger, anxiety, hopelessness, or a sense of lost dignity.

Spinal Fractures

When your vertebrae — the small bones of your spine — get thin and weak, it doesn’t take a fall to break them. They can just start to crumble. And you may not feel any pain when it happens.

Your vertebrae work together to support your body, so a fracture can keep you from bending, leaning, and twisting the way you do every day — as when you tie your shoes or take a shower. And once you have a spinal fracture, you’re more likely to have another one.

If more than one vertebra starts to crumble, you may have a hunched-over posture that gets worse with time. That can cause severe pain and affect your lungs, intestines, and heart.

Statistically Speaking

The occurrence of Osteoporosis is prevalent all over the world. Both men and women suffer the condition but its progressive effects seem to develop in more women than men in late adulthood. Understanding what the signs of such degeneration are at the earliest stages will help you best manage the disease.

Osteoporosis and Your Body

Osteoporosis occurs when the bone degenerates faster than what it can be restored naturally in the body. It causes weakening of the joints that deteriorates as we get older. This condition is largely attributed to genetic risk factors, poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle.

Osteoporosis is characterized by degeneration. It includes the gradual wearing away of the bones and joints leaving you with stiffness, weakness and limited ability to move. Rather than continue to experience the aches and pain, consultation with a practitioner can provide alternative pain management strategies.

Signs of Osteoporosis

Swelling of the joints

Painful joints

Stiffness

Increased risk of bone fractures

Spinal curvature

Many people affected by the debilitating condition will suffer severe back and neck pain. The disease is recognized for causing nerve pressure in the spinal vertebrae and compromising normal healthy movement. Sufferers regularly experience pinched nerves making it impossible to move without pain.

If you suspect you or someone you love has Osteoporosis, meet with your professional practitioner. An individualized and holistic healthcare plan must be created to help manage the severe restrictions the diseases places on your well-being.