In the past, osteoporosis received relatively little attention among medical professionals because very little could be done to treat the condition. It has always been known how serious osteoporosis is (hip fractures, need for nursing home care, etc.) but not much could be done to change the progression of the disease process.
In recent years there have been substantial advances in the treatment of osteoporosis. There are now medications that have been shown to be effective in increasing bone mass. In addition, there has been substantial progress in the evaluation and monitoring of the condition.
In the past, women’s health professionals could only give their patients the following recommendations to control/prevent osteoporosis:
– take vitamin D and calcium supplements
– get out in the sun and exercise
– take hormone supplements, if any, based on your medical history
Now, with the development of bone-building drugs and advanced technology to monitor bone density, osteoporosis management is approached very differently as the focus is no longer on prevention, but on treatment.
Like many other medical diseases, this disease does not present signs or symptoms until it manifests itself due to clinical problems derived from its long-term effects (spontaneous fractures, etc.). As a result, compliance with osteoporosis treatment programs is poor, with no perceived benefit to the patient until it is too late to make a significant difference to their prognosis.
Be proactive when it comes to learning about osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor about bone health. If you have a family history of osteoporosis, it’s even more important that you address this issue at an early age.
Years ago, it didn’t seem to matter if this problem was addressed, as there was so little that could be done. I hope I am helping women (and men) to realize that this is definitely not the case today.
I just want to raise awareness about osteoporosis. There are many resources available on managing osteoporosis. Check out the many government sponsored health organizations for more information. Hip fractures, in particular, represent so much morbidity and the need for nursing home care that it is staggering.
Here is the World Health Organization (WHO) fracture risk tool: http://shef.ac.uk/FRAX