Osteoporosis is a debilitating condition in which bones become porous and thin. It affects women more often than men, because women have less bone tissue and lose bone more rapidly as they age. Osteoporosis is characterized by a tendency to break bones easily, especially in the hip, wrist and spinal column.

Risk Factors for Osteoporosis

There are many factors that can help predict your risk for developing osteoporosis, including the following.

• Age. The risk of osteoporosis increases with age, because you lose bone as a part of the natural aging process.
• Race. Although all women are at risk for osteoporosis, Caucasian and Asian women are more likely to develop the condition than African-American and Hispanic women.
• Bone structure/body weight. If you are thin or small-boned, your risk is greater.
• Menopause and menstrual history. If you have experienced menopause, you are at greater risk for osteoporosis. After menopause, production of the hormone estrogen decreases, which increases the rate of bone loss associated with aging. Women who stop menstruating before menopause because of excessive physical exercise or an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia also are at increased risk.
• Lifestyle. Smoking, excessive alcohol use and lack of weight-bearing exercise can increase your risk of developing osteoporosis.
• Nutrition. Failing to consume enough calcium is associated with osteoporosis. If your body is not getting enough calcium from what you eat, it “steals” calcium directly from your bones. In order for your body to absorb calcium properly, it also needs adequate amounts of vitamin D.
• Medications and disease. Osteoporosis has been linked to some medications that are taken over a long period of time, and it is a known complication of medical conditions such as endocrine disorders, rheumatoid arthritis and any condition that requires you to be immobilized for a long time. Ask your doctor if you are concerned.
• Family history. Some women may inherit a susceptibility to the disease. If your mother or grandmother has or had osteoporosis, your risk may be greater.

Osteoporosis Prevention

Although there are ways to treat osteoporosis, it is better to prevent the disorder altogether. Here is what you can do.

• Nutrition. Make sure you get enough calcium in your diet. The recommended daily allowance for women is 1,000 mg of calcium, and for post-menopausal women who are not on estrogen replacement therapy, the requirement is 1,500 mg. An 8-ounce glass of whole or skim milk, 1 ½ ounces of cheese and one cup of yogurt all contain 300 mg of calcium. Also, vitamin D is important because it helps the body use calcium. Vitamin D is available in fortified dairy products and in multivitamins. Ask your doctor if you are concerned you are not getting enough.
• Exercise. Weight-bearing exercise, exercise that forces you to work against gravity, helps you build and maintain strong bones. Walking, jogging, racquet sports and aerobic dance are all good examples of weight-bearing exercise. Remember, the benefits of exercise last only as long as you keep it up.
• Estrogen replacement therapy. Because estrogen is so important in maintaining bone, many physicians recommend estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) for post-menopausal women. ERT is not completely risk-free; it has been associated with some forms of cancer. Talk with your doctor about ERT and how any potential risks can be minimized.
• Bone mass scans for post-menopausal women. If you and your doctor think you might be at risk for osteoporosis, a bone mass scan is a good idea. The scan will provide valuable information about how strong your bones are before you develop serious problems. If your bones have weakened significantly, you can take steps to strengthen them so that you reduce your risk of osteoporosis.
• Drug therapy. There are some drugs available that have been shown to help in the treatment of osteoporosis. A drug called calcitonin has been shown to slow bone loss and increase spinal bone density in women who are at least five years beyond menopause. Biphosphonates are drugs that slow the breakdown of bone and are proven to increase bone density and decrease the risk of hip and spine fractures.

Treatment

Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed under either local or general anesthesia. It is designed to repair the fracture and restore the vertebra to the correct position. Osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak or brittle, and certain types of cancer can cause vertebrae to fracture and collapse.

Although traditional treatments may temporarily relieve some of the pain, they do not necessarily address the underlying cause of the discomfort. Balloon kyphoplasty, in contrast, is a minimally invasive treatment that requires only a small surgical incision. The procedure usually takes less than an hour for each fractured vertebra, and most of that time is devoted to the correct, precise positioning of the equipment.

The procedure has been demonstrated to significantly reduce back pain, correct spinal deformity and improve quality of life by allowing patients to return to activities of daily living.