Osteoporosis is an age-related disease. The higher the aging population, the greater the number of patients. my country is the country with the largest population in the world and the country with the largest absolute number of elderly people. With the gradual arrival of my country''s population aging, there will be more and more people suffering from osteoporosis.

　　First, what exactly It is osteoporosis

　　First, osteoporosis is a common disease of bone tissue and a common disease of middle-aged postmenopausal women. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines osteoporosis as: a disease of the skeletal system due to the reduction of bone mass and the destruction of the fine structure of the bone, resulting in fragile bones and easy fractures. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) emphasizes that osteoporosis is a disease of the skeletal system characterized by decreased bone strength and increased risk of fractures.

　　Second, how does osteoporosis occur?

　　The bone mass of bones gradually increases with age after birth. Generally, the bone mass of adults reaches the peak around 35 years old, and then the bone mass gradually decreases. When bone loss is severe and appears hollow, fragile, and prone to fracture, it can be clear that osteoporosis has occurred.

　　In addition to the self-metabolism of human bones, there are many risk factors that can lead to osteoporosis, such as abnormal diet structure, poor lifestyle and the use of certain drugs may cause bone The occurrence of osteoporosis.

　　Three, high-risk groups of osteoporosis

　　Usually, women are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis than men, especially post-menopausal women, Because of the reduction of estrogen levels in the body, the loss of bone mass is accelerated, and eventually osteoporosis occurs.

　　According to the survey results, 1 out of 3 female patients over the age of 50 will experience an osteoporotic fracture.

　　According to the statistics of some provinces and cities in my country in 2006, the incidence of osteoporosis in elderly people over 60 years old is about 59.89％. That is to say, about 2 out of every 3 people will suffer from osteoporosis. The annual incidence of fractures due to osteoporosis is about 9.6％ and there is a trend of increasing year by year .

　　Four common symptoms of osteoporosis

　　early patients with osteoporosis have no obvious symptoms, and many patients only see the doctor after a fracture Know that it is a fracture caused by osteoporosis.

　　The most common fracture sites of osteoporosis are the wrist, hip and spine. Changes in body shape due to osteoporotic fractures such as shorter height and kyphosis are all caused by compressive spinal fractures.

　　 In some patients, there is no obvious fracture, but there is obvious pain. Mainly pain in the lower back.

　　V. How to diagnose osteoporosis

　　Although osteoporosis is a silent, chronic bone disease, the disease Early diagnosis and treatment are equally important.

　　Bone mineral density test (BMD) is currently recognized as a method to diagnose osteoporosis and understand disease progression.

　　Bone mineral density examination can assess the bone status of patients, predict the future fracture risk, and understand the efficacy after medication.

　　Six, how to maintain bone health-lifestyle and environment

　　1, appropriate exercise. Appropriate exercise can increase the strength of the skeletal muscle system. The most beneficial exercise for bone health is weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, jogging, climbing stairs, tennis, dancing, tai chi, etc., can strengthen the skeletal system, enhance balance, and reduce the probability of fractures.

　　 2. Healthy living habits. Maintain a normal diet and daily routine, and avoid alcohol and tobacco and excessive stay up all night.

　　 3. Pay attention to home safety and avoid falling. The elderly or patients who already have osteoporosis need to pay attention to the safety of their home environment, improve the environment, and avoid accidents such as falls. Such as installing anti-slip mats in the bathroom to keep the ground dry, no debris piled in the corridors and improving the dark light.