If you or someone you know suffers from osteoporosis you’ve probably been told all sorts of things about the disease. The truth is you’ve probably been given some good reliable information, and some other information that’s not so reliable. Although Osteoporosis isn’t a relatively complicated disease when compare to some, there are still some myths floating around out there. Here’s a brief description of what Osteoporosis is, and 5 of the most common myths associated with it.
What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a condition of the bones in which they become very weak and brittle. In the most severe of cases bending over or even a harsh cough can cause bones in this weakened state to break. It is estimated that 10 million American currently suffer from Osteoporosis. This disease is considered as a major public health issue and it is thought that nearly 44 million more Americans are at risk of developing Osteoporosis.
5 myths about Osteoporosis
Coming in at number one is the myth that only women develop Osteoporosis. While it’s true that the majority of people who suffer from Osteoporosis are women there are a significant number of men who also suffer from this disease. There are roughly 2 million men who currently suffer from Osteoporosis.
Myth number 2 is that developing Osteoporosis is just a normal part of aging, and some people simply suffer from it more than others. While it’s true that your bones lose density as they age, your bones also continue to have good bone strength. That said, developing Osteoporosis is not a normal part of aging for anyone.
Myth number three is that you only have to worry about osteoporosis if you are an elderly person. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. From the moment you are born your bones need attention in order to effectively grow as you age. Maximum bone density is normally reached by age 35. If you aren’t taking good care of your bones while you are young, your bones won’t reach their maximum density. As such, you are at risk of developing Osteoporosis well before old age sets in.
Myth number four is that Osteoporosis is a hereditary disease so if it doesn’t run in your family you don’t have to worry about developing it. This is another one that isn’t true at all. It is true that if you have a history of Osteoporosis in your family you are more prone to developing Osteoporosis, but not having a family history does not make you immune from developing it either. Everyone can potentially develop Osteoporosis.
Myth number five is that you can tell if you have Osteoporosis because you’ll display symptoms of the condition. The truth is that Osteoporosis doesn’t have any symptoms. Because there are no symptoms, many people who have already developed Osteoporosis won’t know they suffer from it until something happens and they are diagnosed with it.
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