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Osteoporosis - symptoms, causes and treatment
Osteoporosis refers to a bone metabolism disorder characterized by the loss of bone mass, bone structure, and bone function associated with bone fractures, especially vertebral fractures and femoral neck fractures. The proportion of affected women is 70-80 percent, which is attributed to hormonal influences. Even if a family burden should play a role, there are a number of therapeutically influenceable factors that are considered by practitioners of natural medicine both for the prevention and for the treatment of osteoporosis.
contents
- bone loss
- Warning signs and symptoms of osteoporosis
- Causes of Osteoporosis
- Natural treatment for bone loss
bone loss
Even in healthy people, the maximum bone density is reached at the age of about 35 years, after which the body gradually loses about one third of bone substance and muscle mass by the age of 70. In osteoporosis, this process of bone loss proceeds prematurely or accelerated due to different influences.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which the natural process of bone loss is accelerated. Physicians distinguish four degrees of bone loss. (Image: crevis / fotolia.com) It is not - as in osteomalacia - primarily the decalcification of bones responsible for calcium loss, but there is rather a quantitative imbalance between bone formation and bone loss.
Warning signs and symptoms of osteoporosis
The symptoms range from chronic pain to "getting smaller". The symptoms are often initially seen as stressful pain, which becomes chronic low back pain, low back pain, or rheumatic body aches, similar to the symptoms of lumbago..
The pain occurs less in the bones themselves, but especially by the compensatory muscle tension in the affected regions.
The disease can also run asymptomatic and become obvious only with a bone fracture. Particularly affected is the spine, which forms a curvature and the (formerly) so-called "widow's hump" as a result of vertebral fractures and bone weakening in the thoracic vertebra area. The body size decreases, which in turn leads to tannin-like skin folds in the back, which develop through the smaller. Another common complication that affects older people is the fractured femoral neck. The laboratory values are usually inconspicuous.
The so-called bone loss particularly affects the spine. As a result, spontaneous fractures of a vertebral body often occur in osteoporosis patients as a result of low stress. (Image: Sagittaria / fotolia) Causes of Osteoporosis
Causes and possible factors of origin. The primary cause of osteoporosis is estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women. In fact, up to 80% of postmenopausal women are affected by bone loss. But many other causes and influences are discussed, even if the exact formation of the bone metabolism disorder has not been clarified to this day.
In addition to estrogen and calcium deficiency or calcium utilization disorders are depending on the medical orientation (conventional or naturopathic), for example, anorexia, heavy metal poisoning, lactose intolerance (lactose intolerance), indigestion, many births and dysfunction of the parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism) under suspicion.
Other possible causes and risk factors include highly fluoridated water, very high-phosphate foods, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and various medications (cortisone, epileptics, anticoagulants, "pill") and a genetic predisposition.
In addition, physical inactivity, (persistent) stress, the excessive consumption of nicotine, alcohol, sodas and high-protein and high-phosphorus but low-calcium meat are considered to be contributing factors in the development of osteoporosis. In men, testosterone deficiency also promotes osteoporosis
Plenty of calcium is found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, fish and soybeans. (Image: airborne77 / fotolia.com) Natural treatment for bone loss
First, the diagnosed underlying disease or disorder is treated, provided that it can be identified. For prevention and therapy, it is important to have a diet that contains a lot of green vegetables, which contains much more salable calcium than dairy products.
The regular consumption of whole grains, fruit, tofu and soybeans, nuts, fish and Brussels sprouts, kefir and yoghurt is recommended and the absence of caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, cola!), Which adversely affect the calcium balance. Since aluminum, in particular, is suspected of favoring osteoporosis, aluminum pots and kettles should not be used. In addition, it is necessary to switch to regular but appropriate movement.
The repertoire of the Schüssler salts are Silicea, Calcium phos. as well as calcium flour. Medicinal plants include alfalfa, horsetail, comfrey and marine algae, which contain many minerals and vitamins.
Of course, orthomolecular therapy also has concepts in place, just as any other of the many orientations has its specific naturopathic treatments for the treatment of osteoporosis. These include homeopathy, Bach flower therapy, TCM and acupuncture, osteopathy and clinical hypnosis. (Dipl.Päd. Jeanette Viñals Stein, non-medical practitioner)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)