The bones are a porous matrix which is filled with minerals like calcium and phosphorus which make them strong. Over a period of time, the mineral content is lost and therefore the matrix gets brittle. Bones are more likely to fracture in these people.

Causes/Risk factors:

The bones get fragile and brittle with age in most people, and people over 60 years of age are likely to be affected
Asian women about the age of 45 are prone to osteoporosis
Reduced vitamin D intake (either by sun exposure or through diet) also makes bone porous and prone to fracture
Sedentary lifestyle with minimal or no exercise
Lower levels of estrogen, especially post menopause
Cigarette smoking
Reduced testosterone levels
With fracture, there is severe pain, loss of mobility, and need for prolonged nursing.
Foods which can help control/prevent osteoporosis:

Yoghurt: Derived from milk, it is rich in animal protein and also contains good amounts of vitamin D and B2, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. It helps in maintaining estrogen levels during menopause, thereby preventing osteoporosis. They also provide a good supply of gut bacteria, which improves immunity.
Milk: Similar to yoghurt, this is also rich in various minerals that are essential for bone health. The vitamin D in it also improves calcium absorption, thereby prolonging the occurrence of osteoporosis.
Fish and meat: Lean meat and fish are good sources of oils and protein and form an essential part of diet for preventing osteoporosis. Sardines and salmon are ideal as the tiny fish are rich sources of calcium.
Eggs: This contains good amounts of natural protein, minerals, and vitamins essential for bone health. It also helps in estrogen formation, which has a bone-protective effect.
Cabbage: Any form of cabbage is good for preventing osteoporosis. It promotes bone metabolism and has calcium which help in strong bone formation.
Bananas: Another effective food in preventing osteoporosis, it helps improve absorption of calcium and other essential nutrients to ensure bones are formed and maintain health. It also has natural oils, potassium, and vitamins A and C in good quantity.
Almonds: It forms an integral part of preventing osteoporosis by increasing bone density and promoting bone health. It also has good oil content, which is also essential for bone health.
Legumes: Beans and other legumes are rich source of proteins and minerals and therefore prevent onset of osteoporosis.
Chickpeas: Another great source of various minerals and vitamins, it is very low in calories and sugar and is great to lose weight. It also improves bone health by increasing density.

Osteoporosis - How A Healthy Diet Can Reduce Its Risk?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that happens when bone density decreases and the body stops producing as much bone as it did before. As a result, bones become weak and may break from a fall or, in serious cases, from sneezing or minor bumps. It can affect both males and females but it is most likely to occur in women after menopause, because of a sudden decrease in estrogen, the hormone that usually protects against osteoporosis.

Symptoms of Osteoporosis-

The early stages of osteoporosis do not cause any symptoms or warning signs. In most cases, people with osteoporosis do not know that they have the condition until they have a fracture. If symptoms do appear, some of the earliest ones may include receding gums, weakened grip strength, weak and brittle nails, back pain, loss of height over time, a stooped posture, and a bone fracture that occurs much more easily than expected.

Causes of Osteoporosis-
Some of the leading reasons behind osteoporosis include the following:

Age: The biggest cause of osteoporosis is age. It mostly affects people aged above 50.
Menopause: Another primary cause of osteoporosis in women, which occurs around the age of 45 to 55 years. Due to the changes in hormone levels associated with it, menopause can cause a woman s body to lose bone even more quickly.
Reduced sex hormones: Lower estrogen levels appear to make it harder for the bone to reproduce.
Ethnicity: White people and Asians are more susceptible than other ethnic groups.
Bone structure: Being tall or slim increases the risk of osteoporosis.
Vitamin D deficiency: In case of vitamin D deficiency, the body cannot absorb adequate amounts of calcium from the diet to prevent osteoporosis.
Risk Factors for Osteoporosis-
A number of factors can increase the likelihood of osteoporosis, these may include your age, race, lifestyle choices, and medical condition and its associated treatment. Some of the risk factors for osteoporosis are out of your control, including sex, age, race, family history, and body frame size. Osteoporosis is more common in people who have too much or little of certain hormones in their bodies. Examples include sex hormones, thyroid hormones, and hormones released by the adrenal glands. Osteoporosis is more likely to occur in people who have low calcium intake, eating disorder, and gastrointestinal surgery. Osteoporosis has also been associated with medications used to combat or prevent seizures, gastric reflux, cancer, and transplant rejection. Even lifestyle choices such as sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption, and tobacco use can increase your risk of osteoporosis.

Prevention of Osteoporosis-
There are many risk factors for osteoporosis that you cannot control. These include being female, getting older, and having a family history of osteoporosis. There are some of the factors, however, that does fall within your control. Some of these ways to control osteoporosis include getting plenty of vitamin D and calcium, doing weight-bearing exercises, abstinence from smoking and for women, weighing the pros and cons of hormone therapy. If you are at an increased risk of osteoporosis, talk to your doctor about the best way to prevent it and do that as early as possible.

Osteoporosis - Symptoms You Must Not Ignore!

Osteoporosis wreaks havoc in many senior citizens, especially women. This is a disorder that systematically weakens the bone and can fracture the spine and the hip. If not treated early, it poses a serious threat to mobility. While medicine is a prerequisite to treating this condition, exercise goes a long way in helping patients of osteoporosis. Regular exercise can improve balance and strengthen the muscle. This being said a doctor should be consulted for a fitness assessment and bone density test before going ahead with any exercise routine.

What is the right exercise for you?
Exercises are recommended depending on the degree of osteoporosis a person is suffering from. Some exercises may not be suitable for a person while some can greatly help. It is therefore suggested that a doctor or physiotherapist is consulted before starting any exercise. Here is a list of exercise that doctors often suggest:

    Strength training: Strength training aims at strengthening the spine and other muscles. It includes the usage of free weights and lifting own body weight. In case the exercise involves the usage of weight machines, utmost care should be taken to ensure that the spine does not get twisted. Resistance training, on the other hand, should be designed in such a way that it fits the tolerance and ability to cope up.
    Flexibility exercises: When the joints are allowed to go through the range of motion, it helps in muscle function. Stretching, for instance, should only be done when the muscle is warmed up. Care should be taken that stretching is done gently which is devoid of any bouncing. The spine should not be flexed. Any exercise that demands to bend towards the waist should also be avoided. An experienced physiotherapist should be able to suggest which stretching exercise is suitable for patients with osteoporosis.
    Aerobic training: Aerobic training necessarily means that the bone supports the body weight. This exercise helps the bone from mineral loss and is good for body balance strength and flexibility. Some aerobics that can be easily performed by patients with osteoporosis include dancing, stair climbing, cycling and walking. These exercises also help in blood circulation and cardiovascular diseases.
    Exercises you must avoid: High-impact body activity exercises such as jogging, jumping and running should be strictly avoided in order to avoid bone fracture and weaken muscle. Unlike exercises with controlled movements, these exercises can twist the spine and cause severe immobility in movement.
    Twisting: For patients with osteoporosis, an exercise that involves forward bending resulting the waist to come down should be avoided. Exercise such as this can cause compression fractures leading to restriction in physical movement for a temporary to longer duration. Any sort of bending and twisting, therefore, should be avoided. 

Suffering from Osteoporosis - Know Which Exercise is Right and Wrong for You?

Why osteoporosis and osteopenia are fast turning into diseases of the young

Did you know that osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures worldwide every year? what is frightening is many of these fractures are now taking place among the youth due to deficit diet and poor lifestyle coupled with genetic predisposition. Both osteoporosis and osteopenia are two forms of bone loss conditions, with the latter being a precursor to the former. To distinguish between the two a bone mineral density test is usually performed.

What is the difference between osteoporosis and osteopenia?

A BMD (bone mineral density) t-score between -1 sd and -2.5 sd indicates osteopenia with a high chance of osteoporosis. On the other hand, a t-score of -2.5 sd and below stands for osteoporosis. A higher bone density (above -1sd) is usually indicative of stronger bones. Fragility index is more accurate way to assess the risk of fractures.

In osteoporosis the bone loss or weakening of bones take place over a long period of time, and results in unexpected fractures and severe bone problems. Disfigurement, fractures in the spine, loss of mobility and independence are usual characteristics of this bone disease once it progresses further.

Prevention is better than cure, always!

To keep bones strong and healthy, calcium and phosphate is continuously absorbed by the body. But after 30, the body?s ability to absorb calcium slows down and there?s a decrease in the production of new bones. In contrast, bone desorption (the process of transferring calcium from the bone to the blood) continues unabated.

When the body starts absorbing the store of calcium in the bones to meets its needs, it leads to calcium depletion and is one of the causes of the weakening of the bone.

At present, the age limit (50-60 years) for osteoporosis has seen a drop with many younger people increasingly suffering from the ailment. Factors like unhealthy lifestyle, late-night shifts, smoking and alcohol consumption have been found to be the culprits behind the rise in osteoporosis cases among the young. Recent studies have identified vitamin d deficiency as a major factor for poor bone health and bone mass density in the young.

How to keep your bones strong and healthy? and manage osteo - penia/porosis complications:

Bone loss can be prevented by adopting these very simple but effective ways:

- exercising can help in building strong bones and muscles, while preventing bone loss.

- maintaining a calcium intake of 1000 mg for pre-menopausal women and 1200 mg for women post menopause.

- staying out in the sun for 20 minutes to produce requisite amount of vitamin d for calcium absorption and using supplements of vitamin d.

- there are many safe medicines available to prevent and treat osteoporosis like alendronates, calcitonin, parathyroid, teriparatide preparation etc.

- in osteoporosis induced /associated fractures we have to to modify implants to negate weak purchase of implants in bone and improve mobility. We have been using these modifications in established osteopenia/porosis case in fractures treatment/joint replacement/ arthroscopic fixations and MIS spine fracture management.


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Are Osteoporosis and Osteopenia fast turning into diseases of the young?

Osteoporosis is an age-related condition characterized by low bone density and fragile bones. Lack of calcium and vitamin D are the most common triggers of this condition. These are vital elements for healthy teeth as well. Osteoporosis has a direct relationship with oral health and can trigger a number of issues such as loss of teeth, gum and can cause periodontal disease. The effects of osteoporosis on oral health and affect more women. This risk increases when talking of menopausal women.

The jawbone is one of the areas that bear the brunt of osteoporosis. The loss of bone density in this area can cause tooth loss and make teeth lose. It can also affect the gum ridges that hold dentures in their place. This can result in ill-fitting dentures that need to be frequently changed.
Medication for osteoporosis is also linked to dental health. In rare cases, antiresorptive medicines that are prescribed to strengthen the bones can lead to a condition known as osteonecrosis. This refers to the death of a bone due to poor blood supply. Antiresorptive medication can be administered orally or intravenously with the latter having a higher risk of triggering osteonecrosis. Though it affects the hips and shoulder bones in most cases, it can also affect the jaw bone. It is marked by pain, swelling, infection and exposed bone. Loose teeth, gum infections and numbness or heaviness of the jaw are also symptoms of osteonecrosis of the jaw bone.
The risk of suffering from osteonecrosis cannot be determined beforehand. Hence it is a good idea to see your dentist before or just after starting antiresorptive treatment for osteoporosis and to schedule regular checkups for the duration of your treatment. Dental problems if any should be treated before starting medication for osteoporosis. Osteonecrosis of the jaw bone is most commonly seen after undergoing a dental procedure that affects the jawbone and associated tissues such as a tooth extraction. Ideally, invasive dental procedures should be avoided if you are taking antiresorptive medicines. However, it can also occur spontaneously.
Bisphosphonates are also commonly prescribed to treat osteoporosis. This type of medication slows down the breakdown of bone tissue. However, this can lead to the development of new bones. This is not a troublesome issue when it comes to bones like the hip, leg or arm bones but can be very disruptive if it affects the jawbone. This is because the jaw bone is constantly reforming and reshaping itself.

Osteoporosis - Can It Impact Your Oral Health?

The bones and muscles tend to get worn with age and other conditions. Osteoporosis is a condition described by a reduction in bone thickness. Bones tend to become weak and fragile in this condition. The most common consequence of osteoporosis is fractures. Osteoporosis does not cause signs or side effects until it has reached an advanced state. Certain signs and symptoms of osteoporosis include:

Back pain

Loss of growth after some time

A stooped stance

Crack of the vertebra, wrist, hip or other bone

Homeopathy has been a very beneficial modus operandi in the campaign against Osteoporosis. Homeopathic remedies will not reverse existing bone loss, but can help control pain, will slow down or stop further bone loss, can promote stability and healing.

Homeopathic remedies will allow the essential minerals and nutrients to be absorbed more efficiently, thus, further preventing bone fractures, or accelerating healing of any existing fractures by strengthening the bones.

Homeopathic constitutional approach takes into account a patient s characteristic symptoms, their overall physical and mental condition and understands the way a person s body reacts to Osteoporosis.

The purpose of Homeopathic approach is to vitalize the body s natural healing and self-repair ability to create the highest state of health and well-being.

The aim and objective of Homoeopathic management can be achieved by:

Dietary intake of intake of calcium required by body.

Correction of intake of calcium apart forms food to regulate the daily requirement of calcium.

Correction of intestinal absorption of calcium.

Correction of assimilation of calcium channels in body by constitutional approach.

Exercise, in the form of light exercises and/or meditation.

Therapeutic correction in case the above criteria fail or partially improve the patient.

Various homeopathic prescriptions are accessible to cure bone loss and keep up bone mass. They tend to get rid of the condition from its roots and prevent it from happening in the future. These include:

Symphytum Officinale: It is the best homeopathic solution for treating fractures in osteoporosis. This homeopathic cure helps in joining the cracked bone proficiently. Fractures, where patients complain of a prickling pain in the fractured area, can be significantly soothed by giving this regular homeopathic treatment. This common homeopathic medicine can likewise help in decreasing irritability of the fracture.

Ruta Graveolens: It is yet another very effective homeopathic cure used for the treatment of fractures in osteoporosis. Whenever a bone gets broken, the ligaments and tendons of bones that surround it additionally get harmed. It is in this circle where homeopathic medicine Ruta Graveolans demonstrates its great impact. This regular solution helps in mending torn ligaments and tendons.

Hypericum Perforatum: It is yet another helpful natural homeopathic solution that can be used with certainty for the excruciating pain in the back because of crushed nerves in the middle of harmed vertebral bones.

Calcarea Phosphorica: Calcarea phosphorica is a very effective medication used in homeopathic treatment of the curvature of the spine and flow of blood in patients of osteoporosis. It is mostly given to those patients who have a weak spine and delicate bones, which cause the curvature and stop the flow of blood.

Phosphorus: Phosphorus can also give the best results in curing the curvature and flow of blood in patients of osteoporosis. If blazing sensation in spine remains along with the curvature, this treatment is the most effective. This regular homeopathic cure is also valuable for pain and weakness in the spine.

Calcarea Fluorica: It is a brilliant solution for osteoporosis patients who complain of pain in the back, which is more painful while resting and better when walking or doing some physical exercise.

Syphilinum and Fluoric Acid: These are homeopathic prescriptions that can be used as a part of homeopathic treatment of osteoporosis where the pain occurs in the long bones and is more painful during the night.

Sulfur: It is used for those patients of osteoporosis who have an arch in the spine and walk and sit in a stooping position.  

How To Treat Osteoporosis Effectively With Homeopathy?

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