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Medically, osteoporosis is defined as a "progressive systemic skeletal disease characterised by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture"!! |
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| Or in other words, if you have thin, poor quality bones they are more likely to break. This is usually more of a problem as you get older. |
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| People with thin bones have a much higher risk of breaking their hip or wrist when they fall because their bones are not as strong as they should be. This can cause a lot of problems. For example - |
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| Many people who break their hip are not really fit enough for surgery and take a long time to recover. Many have difficulty looking after themselves afterwards and may lose their independence. This can be a huge blow to someone who liked living in their own home and looking after themselves. |
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| We are now able to look at bone density with a special Dexa Scan. This means we can treat people who have particularly thin bones and hopefully prevent them having a fracture. |
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| It is also possible to do a lot to help yourself keep your bones strong - this includes |
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- Regular exercise
- Stopping smoking &
- A diet with lots of calcium
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Osteoporosis is very common. About 1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men may develop it during their life, so it is important that we do our best to prevent and treat it. |
