Osteoporosis – the silent epidemic
It’s easy to think of breaking a bone as an accident. But as you get older, you shouldn’t rule out the possibility that a fracture is down to osteoporosis - a painful, debilitating disorder, which often goes undiagnosed.
Osteoporosis is the process of bones becoming thinner, more fragile and more likely to break. As we get older, the way we build up and break down bone becomes unbalanced and we break down bone faster than we are able to build it up and replace it.
It is usually a naturally occurring process, but fracture rates are on the up. It’s not painful without a broken bone and so is often undiagnosed, making this a silent epidemic that is worrying doctors across the UK.
Penny Bainbridge, osteoporosis nurse specialist for Sheffield Central GP Consortium, said: “The number of fractures in older people is increasing at an alarming rate. In 1985 there were a recorded 46,000 hip fractures, but if current trends continue we will have 117,000 hip fractures by 2016 - more than double - in just 30 years.”
It is estimated that one in every two women and one in five men will experience a fracture after the age of 50, largely due to osteoporosis.
And as life expectancy continues to increase by two years every decade, the prevalence of osteoporosis will also climb. But there are some people at higher risk than others:
“If you’ve taken steroids for more than three months, had an early menopause, say before the age of 45 or have a family history of osteoporosis, then your chances of breaking a bone could be higher,” said Penny.
“Also factors such as being very thin, smoking or drinking heavily and other health conditions can all contribute too.
“It’s worth discussing with your doctor if you’ve had a broken bone after 50-years-old as a fracture is a potent predictor to having future fractures.”
“With osteoporosis, the first stage is to diagnose it. We’re fortunate in Sheffield that we have special bone density scanning machines which are based at the metabolic bone centre in the Northern General Hospital.
“These machines can measure the amount of calcium in your bones and how strong they are. Based on the results from that we may be able to offer you treatment which stops the bones from breaking down.”
But there are things that can be done to reduce the possibilities of fractures, both early and later in life, such as walking jogging and running to maintain the skeleton.
“This is particularly important in childhood to help build our ‘bone bank’ so the stronger our bones are in our teenage years, the more we can afford to lose as we get older,” Penny said.
“Swimming and balance exercises can reduce the risk of falling so are good to do before and if you develop osteoporosis.”
A balanced diet, particularly rich in calcium, is also important to build bone strength. Fish, dark green vegetables and some pulses contain a significant amount of calcium, as well as dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt.
Penny added: “To absorb calcium, you need vitamin D. We get most of this from sunlight as it’s produced in the skin. So in the summer months try and safely expose your skin to at least 10 minutes of sunlight a day. Elderly and housebound patients are often deficient of vitamin D so doctors often give these people supplements.
“And if you can stop or at least cut down smoking and reduce alcohol intake, this can help reduce our bone loss as we get older.”
If you do have osteoporosis, your GP can point you in the direction of physiotherapy, drugs and practical support to help you in day to day life. Drug treatments strengthen existing bone, prevent further bone loss and reduce the risk of breaking bones. They are shown to reduce fractures by up to 50 per cent.
Prevention of osteoporosis is the most important thing, according to Penny. With no cure for the condition and the cost of fractures to the NHS each year being on par with the predicted cost of London hosting the 2012 Olympics, it’s important for everyone to prepare their body for the natural process of bone turnover to prevent pain and incapacity.
For more information, visit the National Osteoporosis Society at www.nos.org.uk