Have you heard of the disease called the “silent thief”?
Perhaps you aren’t familiar with it as such, but the scientific name is osteoporosis and it got its other name mainly because it often progresses without any symptoms.
By the time a person discovers it, due to a fracture or bone break, for example, it can be less treatable which is why early testing and diagnosis are key.
What Is Osteoporosis?
Considering the name comes from Latin for “porous bones”, it’s easy to guess it’s a disease that affects the bones, specifically their strength and density.
When left undiagnosed and untreated, it can significantly make the bones weaker and thinner, thus put them at greater risk of fractures even from basic daily activities like walking and standing.
With the most severe cases, even a cough or sneeze can be at the detriment of bone health.
The areas, or rather the bones, that are most affected are the hips, the spine, the ribs, as well as the wrists.
Though it can occur to people at any age, it’s most common with the elderly, especially women after menopause, and over 65.
Some early signs that may not seem common for the disease that you should watch out for are brittle nails and weakened grip strength.
What Are the Treatment Options?
Nowadays with the availability of online pharmacies, it’s really easy to stay on track with the treatment the doctor advises you on after a full check up on your health.
This way, you don’t have to waste any precious time going to brick-and-mortar alternatives. Just fill prescriptions online at a trusted pharmacy and you’ll get your pills at your doorstep in a timely manner.
Still, considering it’s to do with your health, to be able to use such benefits to your advantage, be sure to find the right pharmacy first by doing a little check for reviews and prescription options.
Certain countries, like Australia, have government schemes like PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) that subsidise such medication.
This comes as an initiative to help out people who’ve already suffered fractures from this disease, have very low bone density and are at greater risk of developing the disease like individuals aged 70 and over.
Taking this into account, it’s advisable to also check if you can benefit from such a scheme when getting your online prescriptions.
Naturally, despite appearances, the bones are living and growing tissues our bodies both break down and form constantly.
However, once this disease occurs, there’s more breakdown than formation which is why medication needs to be used.
Osteoporosis drugs are created to slow down the bone loss process by keeping the cells in charge of bone break down less active as opposed to boosting the cells that help with bone formation.
As there’s a wide range of medicines you can fill prescriptions online for, they’re categorised into separate groups based on their active ingredients:
- Bisphosphonates
- SERMS (selective oestrogen receptor modulators)
- HRT (hormone replacement therapy)
- Denosumab
- Romosozumab
Bisphosphonates
As a family of drugs, the bisphosphonates include tablets like alendronate (brand name Fosamax), risedronate (brand name Actonel), etidronate (brand name Didrocal) and ibandronate (brand name Boniva) which can be taken daily, weekly or monthly. In the case of taking intravenous doses yearly, the option is zoledronic acid (brand name Aclasta).
You can get a prescription online for this family of medications. They work by binding to the bone’s surface to slow down the action of the cells responsible for bone eroding, i.e. osteoclasts, which makes for more effective work of the bone-building cells, known as the osteoblasts.
What’s great about them, besides the fact they help prevent fractures like those of the spine and hips, is they also happen to be a suitable option for people who are using steroid medications too.
SERMs (Selective Oestrogen Receptor Modulators)
As a family of drugs, one of the most known of SERMS being raloxifene (brand name Evista), they are created to act like oestrogen even though they are non-hormonal.
As such, they assist with the building of bone density and maintaining it, something women may experience a difference in once menopause starts.
Understandably, they’re the advised option for treatment of osteoporosis with women postmenopause.
HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)
HRT consists of oestrogen same as the previous group of medications, in addition to progesterone, and along with being prescribed to women at risk of osteoporosis, it’s also recommended as a solution for those who are looking for prescription medication that can relieve menopause symptoms like hot flashes.
Denosumab
Denosumab (brand name Prolia) is somewhat different because it’s an anti-resorptive therapy and as such, it inhibits the osteoclasts from being active and eroding the bone tissue. Since it’s in the form of an injection, it’s best to be administered by a healthcare professional or a person with experience.
In addition to being prescribed to women with osteoporosis after their menopause, and men at risk of developing the disease, it’s also recommended as a treatment for men who receive androgen deprivation therapy for nonmetastatic prostate cancer.
Romosozumab
As a more recent option, Romosozumab (brand name Evenity) is an injection that’s administered once a month for a year and is meant for women who are at a higher risk of getting bone fractures.
However, as it’s considerably new, it’s received the “black box” warning as it may lead to strokes and heart attacks, which is why it’s not recommended for women who are at risk of getting these conditions or have already had them.
It’s advisable to talk with a doctor, get diagnosed, and consider other health conditions (if you have any) prior to deciding on the ideal treatment and fill prescriptions online to avoid any side effects.
What Are Other Ways to Prevent and Treat Osteoporosis?
Nutrition
As the saying goes, you are what you eat, so without a proper wholesome diet, you can’t count on healthy bones. That being said, if you want to decrease the risk for developing the disease or suffering bone fractures, mind what you eat.
No matter whether you’re looking for a way to strengthen your bones, or find something extra to count on as a solution along with your prescription drugs, you can enrich your diet with nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. The first is crucial for the strength of the bones and the latter for helping the body absorb the first.
Additional nutrients you should consider are magnesium, vitamin K, zinc, and collagen supplements are known for the many benefits they provide.
Exercise
Yes, don’t think you can get away with leaving exercise out of it. If you want to have healthy bones and a healthy body, work with strengthening exercises like pushups, squats, and leg presses.
In case stair climbing isn’t challenging enough, you could build up your home gym that you’ll love and use, filling it up with equipment like weights, dumbbells, and resistance bands.
Besides promoting bone formation, workouts help your health and well-being in general as they improve your weight and coordination which further protects you from fractures.
About The Author:
Somenath Kanjilal is the founder of BlogDriver and Digital Marketer. He is a contributor to many sites. He loves to share his knowledge with other marketers.
