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| Ann Warren, Nadine Bray, Diane Price and Connie Davidson look over Ostoperosis information. |
Nadine Bray, the Women’s
Issues chairman of the Brunsiwck Town Chapter shared some information on
Osteoporosis and provided handouts related to improving your bone health,
calcium supplements, preventing falls, and sources of calcium. There is also a comprehensive booklet which
provides a guide to prevention and treatment.
In May the National
Osteoporosis Foundation and Harris Interactive released the results of a survey
about osteoporosis awareness and prevention.
Overall, they felt the survey showed promising results, with most respondents
indicating they were aware of osteoporosis, its risk factors and how to prevent
the disease. However, 34 percent of
respondents indicated they had never heard of osteoporosis at all, showing more
work needed to be done.
Osteoporosis is a major
public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans. Ten million Americans currently live with the
disease and nearly 34 million are estimated to have low bone density. Of the 10 million with the disease, 8 million
are women.
Osteoporosis, which means
“porous bones,” causes bones to become weak and brittle – so brittle that a
fall or even mild stresses like bending over or coughing can cause a fracture.
A common result of
osteoporosis is fractures – most of them occurring in the spine, hip or
wrist. It’s never too late – or too
early – to do something about osteoporosis.
You each can take steps to keep bones strong and healthy throughout
life.
In early stages of bone loss,
you usually have no pain or other symptoms.
But once bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, you may have
osteoporosis signs and symptoms that include:
· Back pain, which can be severe, as a result of a fractured
or collapsed vertebra
· Loss of height over time
· A stooped posture
· Fracture of the vertebra, wrist, hip or other bone
Because osteoporosis rarely
causes signs or symptoms until it’s advanced, the National Osteoporosis
Foundation recommends a bone density test if you are:
·
A women older
than age 65, regardless of risk factors
·
Older than age 50
with a history of a broken bone
·
Take medications
such as prednisone or anti-seizure drugs that are associated with osteoporosis
·
A postmenopausal
women who has recently stopped taking hormone therapy, or
·
A woman who
experienced early menopause
·
A post-menopausal
woman with at least one risk factor for osteoporosis
Some of these risk factors
you can change, others you can’t.
Risk factors you can change:
- Calcium intake
- Tobacco use
- Eating disorders
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Alcohol consumption
- Corticosteroid and other medications
Risk factors you can’t
change:
·
Being a woman
·
Getting older
·
Race
·
Family history of
osteoporosis
·
Frame size
·
Thyroid hormone
·
Medical
conditions and procedures that affect bone health
In its press release, the
National Osteoporosis called on all Americans to get educated about
osteoporosis – understand the risk factors, learn how to prevent the disease
and take action. That means:
· Striving to get
enough calcium and Vitamin D every day
·
Do regular, bone
healthy, weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises
·
Don’t smoke or
drink too much alcohol
·
Talk to your
healthcare provider about your chance of getting osteoporosis and ask when you should have a bone density test, and
· Take an
osteoporosis medicine when appropriate
It also means talking to
family and friends. Many people do not
realize that osteoporosis is often considered a pediatric disease with
geriatric consequences – approximately 85 – 90 percent of adult bone mass is
acquired by 18 in girls and 20 in boys.
That’s why I stated earlier – it’s never too early or too late to take
steps to improve bone health and why parents and grandparents alike are
encouraged to have a conversation with their children and grandchildren about
bone health and osteoporosis.
submitted by Nadine Bray, DAR Women's Issues Chairman
