What Causes Bone Loss? – Diagnosis & Treatment
An adult human body consists of 206 bones, which comprise the body’s skeletal system. A skeletal system holds various benefits for the human body. For example, it helps in locomotion and provides support to the body. Hence, the skeletal structure must be kept strong and healthy over one’s lifetime.
Calcium and Vitamin D contribute to making the bones strong and healthier. However, as the person ages, the bones begin losing their density. This condition is known as osteoporosis. Ultimately, osteoporosis leads to disorders like arthritis or severe knee aches, or loss of mobility.
Bone Loss Causes
Several factors contribute to making the bones weak and brittle. Two of the prominent bone loss causes are:
Osteoporosis
A decrease in bone density causes osteoporosis. As a result, the bones become fragile, brittle, and weak. It is a long-term chronic disease. There are several ways to manage osteoporosis, like proper exercise. Moreover, quitting smoking can also help in getting rid of osteoporosis.
Risk Factors For Bone Loss
Osteoporosis is a condition that is mainly caused as the person ages. Several factors contribute to making the bones weak and brittle. However, these elements vary from person to person and sometimes according to age group. Also, in some cases, a serious road accident can cause osteoporosis. Here are a few prominent risk factors:
- Early menopause
- Aging
- High Alcohol Intake
- Physical inactivity
- Lack of Protein in the diet
- Low BMI (Body Mass Index or body weight)
Apart from the symptoms mentioned above, several other symptoms are making these risk factors exist that trigger osteoporosis in the human body.
Aging
Aging or getting old is one of the most common causes of bone loss. The people who cross their 40s and enter their 50s begin losing their bone density if they don’t keep an active lifestyle. However, the situation differs for women. It has been observed that when women cross the age of 35; they are more likely to face bone density loss.
adult human body consists of 206 bones, which comprise the body’s skeletal system. A skeletal system holds various benefits for the human body. For example, it helps in locomotion and provides support to the body. Hence, the skeletal structure must be kept strong and health over one’s lifetime.
Calcium and Vitamin D contribute to making the bones strong and healthier. However, as the person ages, the bones begin losing their density. This condition is known as osteoporosis. Ultimately, osteoporosis leads to disorders like arthritis or severe knee aches, or loss of mobility.
Diagnosis Of Bone Loss Cause
Bone diagnosis is necessary to examine bone density and other medical conditions. Usually, doctors recommend bone density tests to determine the risk of fractures and other bone damage conditions. Moreover, various technologies and tests are used to determine bone health. Some of these tests are:
· Bone X-Rays
The bone x-rays show a detailed picture of bone, including the hand, wrist, fingers, ankle, pelvis, leg (shin), knee, thigh, hip, pelvis, or spine. It helps in diagnosing fractures of bone cracks.
· Spinal Scan
The spinal cord is the most vital part of the human body. Slight damage in the spinal cord can lead to difficulty in locomotion, and permanent immobility is severe spinal damage. Therefore, a spinal CT scan is necessary to assess the fractures and cracks in the human body.
· MRI Of The Spine
The help of an MRI of the spine makes it easier for doctors to diagnose vertebral fractures and any other underlying risk of spinal diseases. However, the treatment becomes easier after a precise spinal x-ray.
Factors For Bone Loss
Osteoporosis is a condition that is mainly caused as the person ages. Several factors contribute to making the bones weak and brittle. However, these elements vary from person to person and sometimes according to age group. Also, in some cases, a serious road accident can cause osteoporosis. Here are a few prominent risk factors:
- Early menopause
- Aging
- High Alcohol Intake
- Physical inactivity
- Lack of Protein in the diet
- Low BMI (Body Mass Index or body weight)
· Bone Densitometry
Bone mineral density is the density of minerals present in the bones. Bone Densitometry is the test used to determine the number of minerals in the bones. However, experts conduct this test by using the DEXA machine scan. Furthermore, this machine splits the bone density information into two sections T score and Z score.
T– score
The T score measures the number of bones in a body. Therefore, it helps determine the risk of fractures in a person’s body.
Z–Score
The Z score helps measure the number of bones in the body compared to the same age group. Furthermore, it is a great help in determining whether you require further bone density tests or not.
Treatment Of Bone Density Loss
Every medical condition has a treatment with necessary precautions if detected early. There are several treatments to prevent and reduce bone density loss. Some of the most useful treatments are as listed:
Bone-Building Therapy
Bone-building therapy is essential to keep the bones in place. Also, in the case of a person who has osteoporosis, these therapies can help them maintain stronger skeletal systems.
· Teriparatide
Teriparatide is a drug that is used to treat osteoporosis. It helps in preventing the risk of fractures in the future. However, this drug imitates the effect of parathyroid hormone in the human body. Also, it functions in stimulating the growth of new bones.
· Romosozumab
The romosozumab is a drug that falls in the category of sclerotin inhibitors. Sclerotin is the hormone that regulates bone metabolism. The osteocytes are bone cells and produce sclerotin. Moreover, sclerotin plays a vital role in new bone formation.
· Abaloparatide
Abaloparadite is the analog of the parathyroid hormone in the human body. As per research, this drug is a proper cure to treat osteoporosis and post-menopause in females. Also, it is known to stimulate bone formation in the human body. Furthermore, doctors strictly recommend taking this drug for two years only. Over-consumption of this drug can be fatal for health.
Bone Densitometry
It is the test used to determine the number of minerals in the bones. However, experts conduct this test by using the DEXA machine. Furthermore, this machine splits the bone density information into two sections T score and Z score.
T– score
The T score measures the number of bones in a body. Therefore, it helps determine the risk of fractures in a person’s body.
Z–Score
The Z score helps measure the number of bones in the body compared to the same age group. Furthermore, it is a great help in determining whether you require further bone density tests or not.
Osteoporosis
A decrease in bone density causes osteoporosis. As a result, the bones become fragile, brittle, and weak. It is a long-term chronic disease. There are several ways to manage osteoporosis, like proper exercise. Moreover, quitting smoking can also help in getting rid of osteoporosis.
Conclusion
Healthy bones are necessary for a healthy lifestyle. However, with the advancement in our lifestyle, providing the required proportion to our bodies has become challenging. In addition, the lack of essential nutrients and nutrition in our diet can weaken our bones and reduce our stamina.
Several techniques and tests are used to detect the sudden decrease in bone density. These tests include bone densitometry, Spinal MRI, spinal scan, and bone x-rays. Moreover, these tests help treat osteoporosis and diagnose any bone disease risk.