Many people have known at least one person in their life who has suffered from the term “osteoporosis”. Osteoporosis is a commonly heard of bone disease that effects many. The word osteoporosis literally means “porous bone”. When looked at microscopically, bones will appear to have a honeycomb appearance under normal, healthy circumstances. When he or she has osteoporosis, the microscopic honeycomb shape will have larger spaces between and within its appearance. The bigger spaces within the honeycomb shape are abnormal and show that the bones have a lower bone density and mass. When bones lose their density and mass they become weak and bone breaks can happen easily. Studies have found that osteoporosis has effected about 54 million …show more content…
The bone breaks that happen from osteoporosis can occur from just minor falls, and in severe cases of osteoporosis, can occur from things as simple as sneezing, coughing and bumping into items such as furniture in the home (What Is Osteoporosis?). It is often hard to tell when osteoporosis first begins. Osteoporosis is often considered a “silent disease” because one cannot feel their bones getting weaker. Studies indicate common signs that are first noticed are decreasing height and the upper part of their backs beginning to curve. The decrease in their height and the curving of their backs occur when vertebrae in the back break or collapse (What Is Osteoporosis?). The longer the person lives with osteoporosis the more likely bone breaks will occur. The most common sites for fractures are in the hip, back, and wrist (Christodoulou & Cooper). Because the age range of of those with the greatest risk of developing osteoporosis are the elders, complications often arise when preforming the surgeries needed to fix the fractures. In some cases, these complications can lead to death (What Is Osteoporosis?). Progression is slow and can often go unnoticed until things go from bad to worse with one incident. Life-style changes can help diminish the frequency of fractures. Prevention, such as proper diet and regular exercise are the best options to prevent development of this crippling disease (Christodoulou & Cooper). The number one way to slow the progression of osteoporosis is to see a doctor and become familiar with the care needed to prevent