Symptoms, Causes, and Management for Osteopenia
Osteopenia is when a person’s bones lose calcium and gradually weaken. This condition is most commonly seen in older individuals but can also affect people of all ages. In many cases, osteopenia is a precursor to osteoporosis, a more severe condition in which bone density deteriorates even further. While osteopenia is not curable, several practical strategies and treatment options are available to help prevent its progression and keep bones healthy for as long as possible.
Osteopenia signs and symptoms
Osteopenia does not have clear-cut signs and symptoms. In the early stages of osteopenia and its later phases, it is marked by a steady deterioration of bones. Eventually, osteopenia develops into osteoporosis. Doctors who provide an osteopenia diagnosis usually check for the following identifiers within a person’s body:
Low bone density
The low density of bones is characterized by a distinctive kind of weakness and brittleness in one’s bone structure. Low bone density is primarily caused due to people not reaching peak bone mass. Peak bone mass is a phase in which individuals develop a certain amount of bone quantity by the time they reach a certain age. Normally, men reach peak bone mass in their 20s, while women reach the phase in their 30s.
Mainly, bone density is adversely affected if a person’s body finds it difficult to absorb calcium normally. Such individuals are highly likely to get osteoporosis in their later stages.
Height reduction
As people who are vulnerable to osteopenia grow older, their bones become frail at a faster rate than others. Even those who develop peak bone mass properly may lose it over time when they age. This automatically makes them susceptible to osteopenia and, later, osteoporosis.
A particular sign of osteopenia is height reduction. Due to bone loss, people who develop this condition shrink later. Someone with osteopenia loses an average of an inch in height when they grow older. Their condition is particularly critical if the height reduction is more than that.
Frequent fractures
This is a particularly extreme symptom of osteopenia. As one’s bones get worn out due to this condition, one may sustain bone injuries and fractures much faster and more frequently than others. One must consult a healthcare professional to understand the underlying causes of frequent fractures and hairline injuries.
Causes
Specific typical causes of osteopenia and, eventually, osteoporosis are listed below:
Hormonal changes
Hormonal changes are commonplace when women experience menopause or when individuals experience stress, anxiety, and circulation-related issues. When that happens, the bone density gets affected as there are fluctuations in calcium levels in the body. Reduced estrogen levels in women during menopause, leading to bone brittleness, is the most common example of this phenomenon.
Lack of exercise
Working out is a good habit to bring structure and purpose to one’s life and strengthen every element within one’s body. People with osteopenia often do not partake in weight-bearing exercises and activities such as jogging, resistance training, and walking regularly.
Calcium and vitamin D deficiency
A nutritious meal consists of all the kinds of elements that a person’s body needs: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. If people do not regularly eat or drink foods rich in calcium or vitamin D, their body becomes incapable of building and maintaining strong and resilient bones.
Underlying health conditions
Certain pre-existing health conditions, such as celiac disease, hyperthyroidism, and rheumatoid arthritis, cause a person’s bones to become weak. These medical conditions progress slowly, so many individuals do not feel their direct effect on one’s bones. Eventually, these conditions result in a breakdown of calcium and other vital elements in a person’s bones.
Genetic issues
Certain medical studies have also found a hereditary connection to how osteopenia emerges and grows. Individuals whose parents, grandparents, or other immediate family members have experienced this condition are likely to develop it. Additionally, if the parents or grandparents of individuals took prescription-based treatments to treat their health problems, then the later generations may have gradual bone loss as well.
Preventive and treatment measures
As stated earlier, there is no definitive cure for osteopenia. However, by regularly doing certain activities or measures, people can prevent bone weakening for as long as possible. Additionally, using the solutions listed below, people can even reduce the severity of osteopenia signs and symptoms.
Exercising regularly
Weight-training exercises and strength training stimulate bone formation and make a person’s bones more dense. If doing such extensive workouts is not possible due to specific constraints, then simple jogging, walking, cycling, skipping, or climbing the stairs frequently throughout the day are decent solutions to keep osteopenia at bay.
Consuming calcium-heavy foods
Foods such as soybeans, collard greens, spinach, turnip greens, bok choy, broccoli, kale, and nuts are good sources of calcium. So, one must include them as frequently as possible in their daily meals.
De-stressing regularly
Stress is a major cause of hormonal imbalance within the body. Although one cannot directly avoid stress in one’s life today, meditative exercises and rhythmic breathing can help people cope better with their anxiety and depression. One must drink loads of water and take breaks to take their mind off whatever is stressing them out at any given moment.