Osteoporosis

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Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which bones become thinner and more porous. This disease is usually painless until a bone breaks or fractures. Fractures are the most common result of osteoporosis. These fractures are usually in the spine, hip and wrist. More than 1.5 million osteoporosis-related fractures occur each year in the United States, mostly in older women (). Although men do suffer from this ailment, osteoporosis is most common among older women. About 25% of women older than 60 years have this disease (Strange 25). Many times this disease goes undiagnosed until signs and symptoms arise, most commonly are fractures. Yes, but much less commonly than women. The cause of osteoporosis in men is often chronic alcoholism. Loss of testosterone (a male hormone similar to estrogen in women) is another cause.
Although not all causes of osteoporosis are known, loss of estrogen, due to menopause, is a major known cause for women. Women who either have had early menopause or their ovaries surgically removed before age forty-five, who do not receive estrogen treatment, are also more likely to develop osteoporosis. Other factors causing osteoporosis include small body frames, excessive use of alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and enduring excessively strenuous exercise that stops menstrual periods. Additionally to these causes are factors known to lead to osteoporosis. These include a family history of the disease, a low dietary intake of calcium, the use of medications such as prednisone or other steroids, hormonal disorders such as hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, and Cushings disease, and other diseases such as chronic liver disease and intestinal disorders. Aging is another major factor in the cause of osteoporosis. Without treatment, men and women lose one to three percent of their bones mass each year after age 50. As life expectancies increase, osteoporosis may become even more prevalent unless preventive measure...