Bones are part of our body. How does it matter to you?
According to an Asian Channel News, Asians are more prone to osteoporosis because of their lower bone density, low consumption of calcium-rich foods, a sedentary lifestyle and increase in alcohol consumption and smoking. This is said to be true and there have been researches and studies regarding this.
What’s in a bone?
There is a bone disease that all of us are aware of. Osteoporosis is said that a kind of disease which starts from early childhood. It is referred to as a silent disease because it is largely asymptomatic. You won’t know you have this unless you suffered a fracture during old age which is why it is mistaken as a geriatric disease. But the demineralization of the body’s bones leading to the fracture is continuously slow, life-long process that begins, believe it or not, from the womb.
According to estimates about 50% of Asian women above 50 years old may have low bone mass and are disposed to suffering fractures and of all osteoporosis cases, 80% involve women.
An Incapacitating Disease
In cases of fracture in the vertebra about half will suffer additional fractures within the next three years. This will cause kyphosis, also called dowager’s hump or stooped postures or the curving of the upper torso. It brings on difficulty in walking, eating and breathing, sever chronic lower back and side pain and the height loss.
Hip fractures are very painful and debilitating—they impair an active way of life, as more than half will not be able to walk again, while the rest would need nursing care—not to mention costly to repair. What’s more, about 20% of those who suffer from fractures die within a year from complications.
It is highly important that we take the care of our bones seriously.