Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a common condition among women that causes strong, healthy bones to become thin, brittle and vulnerable to fractures. While men are also capable of getting osteoporosis, this degenerative disease will eventually affect about half of all women during their lifetimes, which is why osteoporosis is generally considered as a health risk for women. Primary osteoporosis causes have been connected with insufficient dieting and exercise. By getting osteoporosis info early, women have a better chance of preventing the onset of the disease.

The Osteoporosis Care Clinic of Portland is dedicated to helping women prevent and overcome the onset of osteoporosis disease. To accomplish this, we provide affordable osteoporosis screening for men and women who don’t have primary care physicians. We also provide dietary counseling, exercise advice and natural treatment for clients who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Our goal is to help people regain normal levels of bone density, putting an end to their osteoporosis pain and problems.

Definition of Osteoporosis

To the naked eye, our bones look like solid structures, but in fact they’re made up of small bone fibers that take on the shape of a honeycomb. In a health bone, the fibers are tightly wound and banded together. However, if you look at the bone of an osteoporosis patient under a microscope, you’ll see that the web of bone fibers is significantly thinned out, with many bone fibers unattached to others. The definition of osteoporosis is “porous bone,” which makes perfect sense giving the amount of thinning that takes place within the bone structure.

To further understand the definition of osteoporosis, check out these pictures of osteoporosis disease. What you’re looking at are two pictures of bones affected by osteoporosis. In the picture on the left, you’ll see a healthy bone unaffected by osteoporosis. On the right is an osteoporosis picture which shows the thinned-out bone structure, which also results in a narrowing of the bone itself.

Osteoporosis Causes

For years, researchers assumed that age was the primary causes of osteoporosis, but now we know better. There are several osteoporosis causes ranging from dietary problems to a lack of regular exercise. Age and sex are regarded as massive risk factors, with middle-aged and older women far more prone to the effects of osteoporosis. However, we also know that a lack of calcium in the diet is perhaps the biggest cause of osteoporosis, and that increasing your intake of vitamin D can also prevent causes of osteoporosis. Other causes of bone loss include drinking, smoking, eating fatty foods and drinking alcohol. Exercising regularly is also crucial for maintaining healthy bone density, and for building up the muscles, ligaments and tendons which help to support your bones.

Schedule an Appointment

If you or someone you know is either affected by osteoporosis or hasn’t been screened for the disease, contact us to talk about scheduling an appointment. We are eager to help men and women prevent the onset of osteoporosis, a common disease that can almost always be avoided by taking the proper precautions and making healthy lifestyle choices.