Osteopenia - An Overview

When the bone mineral density (BMD) is less than what it is supposed to be normally, the condition is known as osteopenia. This basically means that a person's bones have become really weak and are not as strong and dense as they were before.

A person suffering from osteopenia is likely to develop an even graver disease―osteoporosis―if his BMD slides down further in due course of time. The symptoms are close to nil, and therefore this disease is very difficult to diagnose.

Starting from middle age, as people grow older, their bones start becoming weaker and thinner. This happens because the body absorbs all present bone cells even faster than it generates new ones. As a result, the bones lose mass, structure, and minerals, thereby becoming weak.

It also increases chances of bone breaking. Normally, people start losing their BMD after they reach 30 years of age. It is therefore essential to maintain good bone health till that age, in order to avoid being affected by osteopenia.

At times, this condition develops when a person's BMD is naturally low right from birth. Also, women are more prone to this condition compared to men, since they have a lower peak BMD in comparison. This is due to the various hormonal change women undergo during menopause.

Some of the factors which may lead to osteopenia are:

• High use of asthma medication, like steroids or chemotherapy.
• Exposing the body to radiation for prolonged periods.
• Osteopenia cases reported earlier in the family.
• Problems in metabolism process or eating disorders.

Anything else which contributes to weakening of bones like smoking, consuming lot of aerated drinks, and alcohol.

For people looking for the signs and symptoms, there is bad news. There are no visible symptoms of osteopenia. When bones start losing weight and becoming weaker, they do not show any particular signs or symptoms which indicate the same.

One thing which people can take as a sign is fractures and breaking of bones taking place a lot more than previously. This happens because bones start losing their density. Other than this, there are no obvious symptoms.

The motive behind the treatment is to prevent the person from getting affected by an even worse disease, osteoporosis. This is mostly achieved through regular medication. Other than this, there are a few things patients can do on their own to speed up the treatment process

• Calcium is important for maintaining bone health and the patient should include more calcium-rich foods in his or her diet, like milk, green vegetables, and fruits.

• There may also be a need to consume additional calcium supplements as recommended by the doctor, along with vitamin D supplements, which assists the process of calcium absorption in the body.

• Another good way to improve bone health is through regular exercise. Cardiovascular exercises and physiotherapy exercises are good ways to regain bone strength.
• Stop smoking, consuming alcohol, and drinking aerated drinks to prevent any further bone degeneration.

Around 34 million Americans have osteopenia (low bone density), which make them susceptible to fractures. More often than not, the occurrence of osteopenia is predetermined.

If a person has not consumed adequate amount of calcium-rich foods during the growing years, has a family history of the condition, or has consumed steroids and other medications to cure asthma, he is bound to develop osteopenia later on in life.

But for people who are still young, they can avoid getting affected by this disease, by improving bone health before reaching 30 years of age.

Providing the body with sufficient amount of calcium and vitamin D, avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption, doing regular exercises and eating a balanced diet will all contribute towards the prevention of osteopenia later on in life.

As the popular saying goes, prevention is better than cure, it is more than applicable in this case. Since there are no apparent symptoms, it is better to avoid getting affected by it than bearing the brunt of its effects. As is the case with all health-related aspects, always consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.