Health

What Is Osteoporosis?

Published

2 years ago

December 21, 2021

Osteoporosis is an age-related disease in which bone mineral density decreases, leading to brittle bones being more prone to breaking. The most common risk factor for osteoporosis is aging. Genetic factors also play a role, with men who have a father or brother with the disease being twice as likely to develop osteoporosis than those without this family history. A Boca Raton osteoporosis specialist can diagnose and treat the condition.

Causes

As you age, your bones start to decrease both in density and thickness (this process begins at around age 30). Areas with high bone turnover (such as the pelvis, spine, ribs, and hips) will weaken first. Men tend to lose bone at a slower rate than women; however, after menopause, many women experience accelerated bone loss due to a lack of estrogen.

The following factors can contribute to developing osteoporosis:

A family history of the disease.
Race and ethnicity (white and Asian women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than black and Hispanic women).
Being female (women have a 30% greater chance of developing osteoporosis than men, as mentioned above).
Undergoing hormone replacement therapy (men and women should talk to their doctors about the risks associated with HRT).
Having a history of smoking cigarettes.
Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol.
A sedentary lifestyle (low levels of exercise and activity will increase your risk for developing osteoporosis).

Symptoms

The symptoms of osteoporosis vary and often mimic other conditions. Osteoporosis may go unnoticed for years because the symptoms are painless and result in no more than a slow-healing bone fracture or a loss of height due to compression of vertebrae (a condition also known as “dowager’s hump”).

There are a few signs and symptoms that you can look out for to determine if you might have osteoporosis. If you experience one or more of the following, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible:

Unexplained loss of height (in a short period).
Back pain from compression fractures in the spine.
Fractures in the hip, wrist, or spine (especially after minimal force or impact).
A hunched back (in older individuals) due to compression fractures of the vertebrae.
Symptoms of a broken bone that takes a long time to heal.

Treatment

Depending on the severity of your osteoporosis, treatment will vary. The earlier you seek treatment, the better off you will be (hip fracture, in particular, can lead to impaired mobility, and immobility may result in further bone loss). Also, certain medications may improve bone health.

While there is no cure for osteoporosis, the following treatment options may help. Bisphosphonate bone-building drugs will slow down further bone loss and decrease your chances of developing osteoporotic fractures. You may need to take these medications for several years.

Calcitonin nasal spray or injection (for people who cannot take oral bisphosphonates)

Calcitonin (a hormone that speeds up the laying down of new bone and reduces bone breakdown) is given through a nasal spray or an injection. Calcitonin may not be as effective as other medications, but it can reduce the risk of vertebral fractures.

Estrogen replacement therapy for women after menopause (when estrogen levels drop)

In summary, osteoporosis is an age-related disease where bone mineral density decreases, leading to brittle bones that break easily. It mainly happens in men with a family history of the disease and women after menopause. Symptoms include unexplained weight loss, compression fractures in the spine, and a hunched back. Treatments vary depending on severity.

Health

What Interferes with Successful Breastfeeding?

Published

3 weeks ago

September 5, 2023

Michelle Langton

While breastfeeding is ideal, it comes with many difficulties new parents might face.

After experiencing the intensity of labor and delivery, many new parents are left exhausted. Despite this fatigue and surviving pospartum, new parents soon learn the importance of managing the needs of an infant. Putting aside their own desires, parents learn to quickly adapt.

Exhaustion and recovery are not the only things that discourage parents from breastfeeding. There are a variety of other woes that can make it difficult for a lactating parent to continue to choose this option.

While 83 percent of women breastfeed at the beginning of postpartum, there is a drastic reduction by 6 months, resulting in only 56% of babies still being breastfed.

Engorged Breasts

When a lactating woman’s milk comes in, she may experience intense pain and discomfort. The breasts typically become overly filled with milk because they have not yet regulated their supply. This engorgement can continue throughout the breastfeeding journey for a variety of reasons.

If the baby’s schedule changes, a woman’s breasts can become overly full. If the parent misses a feeding, breasts can experience discomfor which can lead to breastfeeding infection. If a woman becomes preoccupied at work and does not make time to pump, she can experience discomfort.

If breast engorgement is not treated properly, milk ducts can become blocked, and if a woman does not work to move the milk through her breasts (via feeding her baby, pumping, or expressing the milk), this engorgement can lead to further problems and may cause clogged milk ducts.

Infection

One of the biggest concerns beyond the pain a woman experiences with engorgement is infection. This is known as mastitis, and leads to a woman experiencing not only breast pain and warm breast tissue, but also flu-like symptoms that come with fever, chills, headache, and further exhaustion.

In order to help prevent infection, regular feedings are essential. Often, the best mastitis treatment, at least for early symptoms, is to massage the breast in a warm shower and express the extra milk.

Furthermore, by working with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), parents can have a great resource on how to best deal with, treat, and alleviate these problems.

Not only is an IBCLC a great resource in helping prevent breast infection, but a great source for your breastfeeding journey to encourage and educate you in best practices.

The best way to achieve breastfeeding success is to utilize the many tools that an IBCLC offers.

Burnout

To exclusively breastfeed your baby can be quite overwhelming and exhausting. Between nightly feedings, cluster feedings, and pumping sessions for working mothers, breastfeeding is difficult to maintain. Unless a woman is properly supported by her family, friends, and workplace, the chances that a woman will continue to breastfeed are significantly impacted.

Culture also impacts the likelihood of a baby being breastfed beyond 6 months. The CDC discovered that parents in the Southeast United States are less likely to breastfeed their children past six months. This was in contrast to the Northwest, where business policies and the culture is more breastfeeding-friendly and supportive.

Conclusion

Despite the nutritional benefits afforded to a breastfed baby, there are many obstacles that can be discouraging for parents on their breastfeeding journey. From exhaustion to pain to lack of supoort, parents have many reasons to give up.

To increase your chances of success, surround yourself with supportive individuals, reach out to an IBCLC, also known as lactation consultants, and gain the necessary tools required to provide your child with the healthiest option available – you!