Do you require any assistance? Simply reserve your appointment online below
Osteoporosis treatment in Kenya
Restoring Movement and Function
When people age – particularly women – there often comes a loss of height and weight, and the development of stooped posture. A bone-thinning disease called osteoporosis often causes these body changes.
It is is characterized by loss of bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue. This leads to bone fragility and increased susceptibility to fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist.
Most women are likely to feel some effects of osteoporosis in their lifetime, but the good news is that much can be done to reduce and even prevent loss of bone mass and fractures. New treatments for this disease are being discovered each year.
Biological and medical risk factors
Biological Sex– Women have a greater chance of developing osteoporosis
Age– Since bone loss begins at around age 30, the risk of osteoporosis increases with age.
Family History– If others in your family have experienced hip or spine fractures as they aged, you are at greater risk
Body Frame– A thin body frame with low body weight for height will increase your risk of osteoporosis.
Post Menopause– Women who are past menopause have reduced estrogen, so their chances of losing bone mass increase.
Low Estrogen– There is more risk for women if they have had a low rate of estrogen over their lifetime.
Medication Use– Certain medications increase your risk for osteoporosis because they contribute to loss of bone mass when used long term i.e steroids, inhaled steroids, antiepileptic drugs etc
Nutritional Conditions– Conditions such as anorexia nervosa, chronic liver disease and malnutrition can increase your risk for osteoporosis
Causes
Loss of bone mass begins at around age 30. Although men can be affected by osteoporosis, the typical sufferers are older women, particularly those who are past menopause.Bone loss becomes worse in women after menopause because of the body’s lack of estrogen. When bones lose mass they tend to weaken and become fragile.
This increases the risk of fracture under stress or because of a fall, particularly in your spine and hip. Falls in elderly women are often the result, rather than the cause, of hip fractures.
In other words, a fragile hip bone may simply fracture, causing you to fall. In severe cases of osteoporosis, your bones can fracture with any kind of slight movement, which could leave you bedridden.
Symptoms of Osteoporosis
There typically are no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss. Symptoms of osteoporosis are often quiet. You may not feel your bones losing strength. A break or fracture of your spine might be your first clue you have it. Pain, especially in your back and spine, may be a signal, too.But once your bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, you may have signs and symptoms that include:
- Back pain, caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra
- Loss of height over time
- A stooped posture
- A bone fracture that occurs much more easily than expected
You are in Great Hands
Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteoporosis
Our orthopedic specialists at Nairobi spine Orthopedic center in Kenya diagnose osteoporosis with a bone density scan, called a DXA . This x-ray test measures the amount of calcium and minerals in your bones.
There is no cure for osteoporosis.
However, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and treatments to reduce the risks of complication, such as breaks and fractures.
These may include:
- Diet changes to get more calcium and vitamin D, which promote bone tissue growth
- Low-impact, weight-bearing exercises or other activities such as walking, yoga, or riding a stationary bike
- Medications to slow bone loss, including bisphosphonates, hormone replacement therapy , or calcitonin
- Not smoking and limiting alcohol — both cause more rapid bone loss
