When a disease has obvious symptoms, it is far easier to see signs of potential danger, but when a disease that can be debilitating doesn’t have clearly obvious signs, it can sneak up on you and take you by surprise. Frequently called the silent killer, osteoporosis has few warning signs, and the subtle signs that may be warning flags are so benign, it can be easy to overlook them.
It is only with the knowledge of what to watch for, knowing the symptoms, subtle signs and causes, that you can prevent osteoporosis.
A diagnosis for osteoporosis most frequently comes after they’ve fallen and had a broken bone, but it can certainly get worse from there. Over-all mortality rates are 26{cf751326d4685bb99dd23a400c777e92eaae7f77476092ec36af525797803eed} within 12 months of having a hip fracture as of 2009. That number rises at the two-year mark.
You don’t have to become a statistic. The first step in avoiding this is to take proactive measures and have a bone mineral density test done (BMD) by your physician. Getting an accurate measurement of the porosity of your bones can help determine the strength of your bones and overall bone health. Your results may lead to recommendations of lifestyle changes, calcium supplements, and weight bearing exercise. All of those lifestyle changes can help to reduce or eliminate the impact that osteoporosis has on your health.
Early osteoporosis detection is possible, if you know what to look for. Having one symptom by itself may not be overly alarming, however when you see several symptoms, it can be a good indicator that it is time to seek medical advice.
Genetic factors can play a role in osteoporosis, as in other diseases. At higher risk are women, the elderly population and those of Asian and Caucasian decent. If you are an older Asian or Caucasian woman, you are considered high risk of Osteoporosis, but if you are a male, don’t think you are immune. 2 million men in the United States alone have osteoporosis. Men and women, both, who are shorter and smaller in stature have a greater risk of developing osteoporosis. Do you have a parent or sibling with osteoporosis? If you do, your risk factors increase, unfortunately.
Early Signs of Osteoporosis
Osteopenia is the name of the early stages of Osteoporosis and there are generally very few and very subtle symptoms at this stage. These symptoms are likely so subtle that they aren’t at first linked to osteoporosis, but simply chalked up to natural issues related to aging. If you know what to look for and you see several of these symptoms, you can then see a correlation between them and link them to the possible larger issue of an osteoporosis diagnosis.
Brittle Fingernails
The most common cause of brittle fingernails are changes of hormones in the body and nutrition. Older women who are in menopause have estrogen levels that fluctuate. This causes a variety of issues from thinning hair, dry skin and nail strength, and may be signs of early bone loss.
Receding Gums
If you’ve heard from your dentist that you have receding gums, you may have been thinking about receding gums and the possibility of that leading to dentures. Because bone loss is directly related to dental and oral health, bone loss in your mouth and jaw is an indicator of bone loss in other areas of your body. Your deteriorating jaw bone will cause your gums to recede. Studies show that postmenopausal women diagnosed with osteoporosis were more than two times more likely to experience tooth loss than those with normal bone density.
Weakened Grip Strength
Although a decrease in grip strength can signal a decrease in overall bone mineral density, which can prelude osteoporosis, grip strength can easily be improved with exercise, no matter what your age.
Muscle Aches, Cramps and Bone Pain
Aches and pains are a common fact of life as we get older, but these very symptoms can be an indication that more support is needed in the bones. Severely low levels of Vitamin D, which is an important bone builder, can lead to muscle and bone pain. Vitamin D deficiencies have reached an all time high and the association between Vitamin D deficiency and muscle pain have been the topic of many research projects. Cramps can be caused by a number of things, but night time leg cramps signal that potassium blood levels, magnesium and/or calcium levels have dipped too low. Over time, this can cause bone loss. Many doctors recommend taking calcium and magnesium supplements close to bedtime for this reason.
Height Loss
Getting shorter with age is also very common. There are many precursors to this, such as vertebral fractures and poor posture. While bone loss and poor posture don’t always go together, poor posture can be an indication that the muscles around your spine have weakened. Since bones and muscles need each other to function properly, when one is out of whack, the other is often just around the corner from having issues.
Low Fitness Level
Although not an absolute, it is well known that people with lower levels of fitness are often linked to higher levels of osteoporosis. As your overall fitness declines, your bone mass also declines, which should be the encouragement you need to focus on your health and activity levels. Even a moderate level of activity can strengthen bone structures with just a bit of focus.
Osteoporosis Diagnosis
If you or your loved one has received a diagnosis of osteoporosis, it does not have to be debilitating. With the proper attention, you can improve your physical condition and live a normal life. If you have suffered a hip fracture in Las Vegas and need help with some of your daily care needs, contact us and we will help ease the stress and burden of recovering from a broken hip.