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Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis
by: News Canada
Osteoporosis is a disorder which makes bones thinner, more fragile and therefore more
easily broken. Some basic facts are:
- One in eight men over the age of 50 has osteoporosis
- One in four women over 50 also has the disease
- Osteoporosis disease can strike at any age
- Osteoporosis can result in disfigurement, lowered self-esteem, reduction or loss of
mobility, and decreased independence
- If a small tumble or a minor mishap leads to broken bones, beware!
Fractures of the wrist, hip or shoulder caused by low-trauma events
may be a warning sign you have osteoporosis. If in doubt, get a
bone density assessment. Diagnosis is a vital first step towards treatment
Osteoporosis is far more common in men than previously thought. The
good news: early diagnosis and proper treatment can reduce the risk of broken bones.
"About one in eight men over age 50 has osteoporosis," says Dr. Susan Jaglal, Senior
Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Canada's largest provider of
adult rehabilitation services. "The disease causes fewer fractures in
men than in women, simply because men's bones are thicker. Even so, the
number of osteoporosis-related fractures in men is very significant."
Fractures from low-trauma events are the single biggest warning sign. "If
a man fractures a bone - especially the wrist - because of a simple
fall, he should ask his family doctor for a bone density test," says
Dr. Jaglal. "This will determine whether osteoporosis is present."
First-line treatment is a drug called bisphosphonate, which can reduce
fractures by between 30 and 50 percent. "Exercise is also vital," says
Dr. Jaglal. "Men and women with osteoporosis can strengthen weak bones with
weight-bearing exercises such as brisk walking and strengthening exercises such
as lifting weights.
"However, people with osteoporosis should avoid high-impact exercises, as well
as golf and other sports like tennis which involves sudden twisting or
jolting. An individual's exercise options depend on how low his bone density
is, so it's important to have a thorough assessment."
Proper diet is also vital to keep bone loss in check. Men and women over
age 50 should aim for a daily calcium intake of between 1000 and 1500 mg -
the equivalent of about four glasses of milk. "Getting the right amount of
dietary calcium can be challenging," says Dr. Jaglal. "Your body can only
absorb about 500 mg at a time, so you need to spread your calcium intake
over the day. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you the best ways to
get the calcium you need."
For more information on the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute visit
www.torontorehab.com.
For more information on osteoporosis visit
www.osteoporosis.ca.
See our other related articles:
For the latest news about osteoporosis issues, see the news list at the bottom of this web page.
News Canada
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News about Osteoporosis
These news items are supplied by "Yahoo! News". You can visit them at http://news.yahoo.com/.
- Osteoporosis is a Risk for Men Too
Doctors say osteoporosis is not just a disease that women should worry about, but men are at risk too.
- Task force urges more postmenopausal women to be screened for osteoporosis
Routine screening for osteoporosis should include all younger postmenopausal women who have at least the same chance of a bone break as an older woman, a government task force said.
- RSVP to Offer Osteoporosis Program at New Site in Oswego
SUNY Oswego-based RSVP will offer its Osteoporosis Bone Builders Program 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays starting July 20 at a new site, First United Methodist Church, 7111 Route 104 West in Oswego.
- Study Of Possible Osteoporosis Drug To Be Done In Pittsburgh
Many women have osteoporosis, and a new drug called PTHrP will be tested on postmenopausal women in Pittsburgh during a study at UPMC.
- Big C a worry for most women
But the main health problems may actually be hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression.
- NZ ranks last in medicine use and lowest health spender
New Zealand has been ranked last in a comparison of 14 developed nations on their use of selected medicines.New Zealand was far below Australia in the study, which was done for the British Government and tallied medicine use for...
- Joanna Dolgoff, M.D.: Is Your Child Vitamin D Deficient?
Vitamin D deficiency is often missed because there are no real symptoms associated with it.
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