Most people with osteoporosis do not have any symptoms and do not know they have the problem until they have a bone density test or have a fracture. Exercise can have a positive effect on bone mineral density and the strength of bone, but it is a complicated relationship because of many factors including genetics, age, gender, hormone and more. Age applies to everyone when it comes to the effect of exercise on building bone strength.
Having osteoporosis doesn’t automatically mean that your bones will fracture, it just means that it’s more likely.
Additional calcium can be obtained by drinking more milk and eating more yogurt or cottage cheese or by taking calcium supplement tablets as well from calcium-fortified foods, such as orange juice. But calcium supplements alone is not sufficient in treating osteoporosis and should not be viewed as an alternative. “Porous bones” is the meaning of the osteoporosis. It can causes bones to become weak and brittle so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses like bending over or coughing can cause a fracture. Exercise can have a positive effect on bone mineral density and the strength of bone, but it is a complicated relationship because of many factors including genetics, age, gender, hormone and more. Age applies to everyone when it comes to the effect of exercise on building bone strength. Up to 30% of patients suffering a hip fracture will require long-term nursing-home care. Some 20% of women with a hip fracture will die in the subsequent year as an indirect result of the fracture. Hip fractures typically occur as a result of a fall. It’s been noticed in care homes in Gloucestershire that with osteoporosis, hip fractures can occur as a result of trivial accidents. Hip fractures also may heal slowly or poorly after surgical repair because of poor healing of the bone.
Depression is also very common in care homes nowadays. Depression in bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by mood swings from mania (exaggerated feeling of well-being, energy, and confidence in which a person can lose touch with reality) to depression. Physicians need to bear in mind that there is not one depressive illness but many. “In the extreme, one could assert that each depressive illness is unique and individual. Elderly persons should not be exempt from that rule”.
It is important to understand that depression and sadness are different. The death of a loved one, loss of a relationship, termination of a job, including retirement, will cause us to feel sad. Grief is a normal response to these situations. Individuals experiencing challenging times will often remark that he or she feels depressed. However, sadness, grief and depression are not the same. Feelings of sadness and grief will lessen with time while depression can continue for months and years, if untreated.
Treating depression, prolonged compliance with medication that is ineffective or produces serious side effects and adverse reactions must also be prevented. In other words, what is needed is greater ‘thoughtful’ compliance - a matter of management and, above all, trustful relations between doctor, patient and carer.
