Fracture owing to osteoporosis can have a serious impact on a person’s health and quality of life. Dr Abhijit Y Pawar, consultant orthopaedic spine surgeon at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, speaks about the significance of timely intervention in preventing fractures
Osteoporosis is a condition characterised by decrease in density and strength of the bones. It leads to skeletal weakness and frequent fractures. Bone loss is a natural part of ageing but not everyone loses enough bone density to develop osteoporosis. However, the older you are, the greater your chance of having osteoporosis. Back pain, caused by changes in the vertebrae, may be the first sign that something is wrong.
The risk factors for osteoporosis include deficiency of calcium and Vitamin D3, a sedentary lifestyle, female gender/post-menopause, ageing, a family history of osteoporosis, history of broken bones, smoking, alcohol, excessive intake of coffee and certain medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease and overactive thyroid gland. Intake of some medications like corticosteroids and anticonvulsants for a long duration is also a risk factor.
Why the concern?
In India, there were 20 million reported cases of osteoporosis in 2005; this number increased to 25 million in 2008. And this is just the tip of the iceberg as many cases go unreported. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, one in three women above 60 and one in five men above 60 in India are likely to suffer from a fracture owing to osteoporosis. Despite its serious impact, the approximately 80 per cent of people at high risk and who have already had at least one osteoporotic fracture are not identified or treated. This fracture ‘epidemic’ is a serious challenge for healthcare authorities, social institutions and, ultimately, for patients and their families.
Denne historien er fra December 2016-utgaven av Harmony - Celebrate Age.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 2016-utgaven av Harmony - Celebrate Age.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Wrapped In Love
My Dadi Meenakshi Banerji was a short and tubby woman with great gumption who raised 10 citizens of the world.
Sharing Her ‘Mettle'
To me, this bell metal vaarpu, which weighs about 80 kg and is at least 120 years old, is an enduring reminder of my paternal grandmother Aleyamma Abraham.
Medical Overload
Your doctor may walk the talk while writing out your prescriptions but here’s the thing: make sure he hasn’t prescribed one too many.
An Act Of Faith
One act of kindness can save someone’s life.’
Armed For Business
The sheer glory and glamour of the Olive Greens motivated me, a third-generation soldier, to join the Army. Thus I enlisted, brimming with enthusiasm, in 1984.
Capture the fracture
Fracture owing to osteoporosis can have a serious impact on a person’s health and quality of life. Dr Abhijit Y Pawar, consultant orthopaedic spine surgeon at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, speaks about the significance of timely intervention in preventing fractures
Friends With Benefits!
Incontinence need not interfere with life.
Yellow, Yellow, Gritty Fellows!
It was a nippy Sunday morning but nothing that would keep the rugged Delhiite away from the annual Senior Citizens’ Run supported by Harmony at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon. Not even the mood-dampening smog that had descended on the capital a week earlier could do that! So said 74 year-old Sarla Rani and her band of regulars at the run who arrived at Nehru Stadium on the morning of 19 November even before the sun did. Soon they were joined by busloads of silvers from all over Delhi, Noida and Gurugram.
Magic By The Sea
From Lord Jagannath to oceanside beauty and green initiatives, Braja Sorensen uncovers the many layers of Puri.
Indian Rhapsody
In a span of two decades, Roshen Dalal has attained renown for her painstakingly researched books on history and religions in India. The Puffin History of India and The Puffin History of the World, each in two volumes, have not just received critical acclaim but are bestsellers as well. Her other books include The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths; Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide; The Vedas: An Introduction to Hinduism’s Sacred Texts and The Compact Timeline History of the World.
