Osteopenia - the basics about this condition

Osteopenia is a condition caused by your losing bone density. Your bones are thinning. (Note: Some people say osteopena or ostepenia but those are not really correct. Instead of osteopena or ostepenia, you want to say it this way: os-te-o-pen-i-a.)

If you have been diagnosed, the good news is that you do not have as much bone loss as in osteoporosis (when you bones actually become porous) but this is still a serious condition. If you do not stop your bone loss, you will soon find you have osteoporosis. And your risk of multiple fractures or dowagers hump will be high.

Although the condition occurs throughout our bodies, Dexa scans usually measure the bone density in our hips and spine. So sometimes people have special concern about their spines so I have made a full page about Spinal Osteopenia.

Some call Osteopenia and Osteoporosis diseases. I prefer to call then 'conditions" because they are not like the flu, measles or pneumonia. You do not get them from some virus or bacteria. Instead they are often caused by the way we live.

Some people blame menopause for the condition. But menopause does not cause it. True, a decrease in hormones after menopause increases bone loss but not everyone gets overly thin bones after menopause. If you had enough bone mass to start with and if you were doing 'all the right things' for building new bone, you would not get this condition right after menopause.

To me that information is encouraging ......

Why? If it is a condition that usually develops because of our life style, then it is in our power to make changes that can stop and even reverse the condition.

If we learn what activities lead to bone loss, we can stop them. If we learn what helps to build new bone, we can do these things more often. We can influence our own future bone health. Here is one health condition, that it is in your power to change!

Causes of Osteopenia. Cross cultural studies show that Osteopenia and osteoporosis are not major problems in many parts of the world. These conditions are a problem in societies where people eat “Westernized” diet, where people develop ‘bone robbing habits’ like smoking and where they do little hard physical labor. Modern society has brought many benefits but it has also brought some problems. Widespread osteopenia is one of them.

True, there are some medical conditions that can also lead to the condition. But these are not so widespread. If you want to review the list of causes go to osteopenia risks Understanding Bone Building.

Like all the cells in the body, bone is constantly changing. Old bone is removed and new bone is formed. This process is done by two types of bone cells: osteoclasts and osteoblasts.

Osteoclasts remove old bone cells. Osteoblasts build new bone cells. When osteoblasts are more active than osteoclasts, bones grow.

The bones of children grow because their osteoblasts are more active than their osteoclasts. As they grow older the process slows but their bones continue to grow in density. Of course this process is influenced by children's diet and level of activity. One of our concerns should be that our children are eating the foods necessary for good bone growth and that they are active enough to stimulate their osteoblats.

Adult bone grows more slowly than that of children but it is common for osteoblasts to be more active than osteoclasts into your thirties. Somewhere about the age of 35, the balance begins to shift. You should have developed our strongest bone mass before age 35. You will be calling on that bone mass in future years when your osteoclasts are more active than osteoblasts.

Osteopenia can occur when your osteoclasts have been removing more bone than your osteoblasts are making. When you use so much of your "total bone mass" that your bones begin to thin, you have a serious concern.

A really good treatment plan meets both these tasks. You want to stop losing more bone than you are making. Then your bone density will begin to increase.

Bone grows slowly and the older we are, the slower it grows. It may take a few years to reach normal bone density. That's why it is important to take an active part in creating your osteopenia treatment plan with your health care provider.

You want to educate yourself so you can raise issues that might apply to your life. There are things about your daily life that your health care provider does not know. And I am spending so much time talking to you about this because it research shows that the main reason why people do not improve their bone density, is that they do NOT stick with their Osteopenia treatment plan. If you help create it, you will be more likely to stick with it!

Your follow-up dexa scans will show you how well it is working. These follow up tests can be very motivating because you see the positive results - or lack there of - when you slack off.

So, learn all that you can. This web site offers lots of information. Most people who are serious about improving their bone density, book mark the site and read a few pages every at a time. They also subscribe to the free newsletter so they can keep up with the newest information and stay motivated.

Do book mark the site now. Read a few pages today. Take notes so you can raise questions or propose lifestyle changes when you meet with your health care provider.

You will be able to build a successful plan for strengthening your bones!