Osteoporosis Specialist

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis causes your bones to lose density, and your body isn’t producing enough new bone to make up the difference. As a result, your bones become porous and brittle and, most importantly, easily susceptible to breaking. In fact, in the advanced stages of osteoporosis, a simple misstep or sneeze can cause a fracture in your weakened bones.

While osteoporosis can affect anyone, especially as you age, white and Asian women are more prone to developing this bone disease, especially after menopause.

What causes osteoporosis?

While many may think that bones are inanimate objects that provide support, the fact is that your bones are living tissues that repair and grow throughout your life. As you get older, however, your bones don’t regenerate as they once did, and they’re unable to keep up with the loss of mass that comes with osteoporosis.

This explains why more than 54 million people in the United States have some degree of bone loss and osteoporosis — they’re simply succumbing to an inevitable side effect of aging.

The fact that more women suffer from osteoporosis stems from the drop in hormone levels after menopause. Estrogen contributes to bone health, and when production falls off so suddenly, your bone health can suffer at an accelerated rate.

If you’ve been inactive or you’re overweight, this will likely contribute to the severity and speed with which your bones begin to weaken. Conversely, if you lead an active life, you’re more likely to hold on to bone health longer.

What are the complications of osteoporosis?

The main concern with osteoporosis is the fractures that can result from the condition. If you consider that your bones aren’t regenerating as they used to, it’s easy to see why any fracture can be very serious. And because your bones don’t bounce back easily, you’re more prone to infection, especially if you need surgery.

How is osteoporosis treated?

While there’s very little Dr. Farheen can do to turn back the hands of time, there is much she can do to prevent the complications that often accompany osteoporosis. Dr. Farheen first starts with a bone density test to assess your degree of bone loss.

Once Dr. Farheen determines your risk for complications, she tailors a treatment plan to fit your lifestyle and goals. Some common treatments for osteoporosis include:

• Medications containing bisphosphonates to slow bone loss
• Hormone therapy
• Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight
• Fracture prevention plans

While some degree of bone loss is inevitable as you age, you can slow down the loss and avoid the complications of osteoporosis with medical help. Call Dr. Farheen to learn more or use the online booking tool to schedule an appointment.