Imagine waking up one morning and realizing your bones have been silently weakening not because you grew old but from years of quiet neglect and ignorance . There is a disease that rears it’s ugly head without warning , and can only be detected once a fracture occurs. Every year on October 20th the world marks “world osteoporosis day” to raise awareness about bone health being a life long journey and not just a concern for the elderly.
Let’s talk about bones …
Bones are rigid body tissues that form the body’s skeleton providing structure, support and protection for internal organs. Typically adults have between 206 and 213 bones and each of them are composed of collagen and calcium phosphate which help prevent fractures , these bones grow and reshape themselves just like every other living tissue in your body. Special cells called osteoblasts and osteoclasts automatically grow and replace your bone tissue, osteoblasts form new bone tissue and osteoclasts break down old bone tissue to make room for new healthier tissue.
Osteoporosis weakens bones making them more susceptible to sudden and unexpected fractures , it often goes on unnoticed because it starts gradually with no visible symptoms until a fracture occurs. At this stage the disease has already progressed and any minor stress can break a bone due to lower than normal maximum bone mass and greater than normal bone loss. Certain symptoms like back pain, loss of height, hunched posture, shortness of breath and frequent fractures may indicate weakened bones which may sometimes be ignored.
Early diagnosis is critical for reducing the reoccurrence of fractures and management of the disease in order to increase the quality of life of the individuals with this condition and reduce further complications. Contrary to what most people think osteoporosis does not only affect the elderly but it can also occur in younger people as a result of secondary causes rather than the natural aging process.
These secondary causes include prolong use of certain medications that reduce bone mass like glucocorticoids, nutritional deficiencies as a result of malnutrition and anorexia, sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol intake or smoking, genetic conditions like osteogenesis imperfecta which cause bones to be brittle. There is also a tendency for women to have increased bone loss after menopause due to reduced estrogen level and also andropause in older men due to lower levels of testosterone. Because osteoporosis often has no clear symptoms in the early stages detection is difficult, but there are different diagnostic methods that can be used for early screening like the DEXA scan ( a test used to measure bone mineral density) , blood tests ( to check for calcium, vitamin D, hormones , thyroid and renal function), early assessment of secondary causes.
There is a global prevalence of osteoporosis because of key issues in diagnosis, the silent nature and gradual progression of this disease hinders early discovery in people who have this condition which delays diagnosis , fractures in the elderly are often underdiagnosed and misattributed to aging, In many low-resource regions, poor infrastructure and limited access to screening tools like DXA scans or bone health specialists make it difficult for people to get properly diagnosed. Another issue is the treatment gap after diagnosis, most people after their first fracture are not treated for the underlying bone disease. limited public awareness is a major barrier to prevention and early diagnosis (individuals never know they are at risk or know simple habits that could help protect their bones).
A lot needs to change in order to better diagnosis and care for people with osteoporosis, to build better bones all these are important changes everyone needs to implement irrespective of age : life style changes (cessation of alcohol and smoking, regular exercise , eating balanced diet from early childhood ), fall prevention especially in the elderly, early bone densitometry screening in both young and old people with risk factors. This disease is a huge burden because of its devastating consequences when it remains undiagnosed and untreated it can lead to chronic pain, disability, loss of independence and premature death. Bone health is a global priority and it is important to spread awareness about this preventable disease. Making simple consistent choices like nourishing our bodies, adequate calcium and Vitamin D intake, staying active and seeking regular check ups will help us build stronger bones and a healthier future one step at a time. Our bones may be silent but their strength determines how we stand through life , this world osteoporosis day , let’s take action by spreading the word, supporting those affected or at risk and prioritizing bone health at every stage of life , before silence turns to fracture.
Written by : Sharon Jeremiah Anuye
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