What is osteoporosis and osteoarthritis?

What is osteoporosis and osteoarthritis?

Osteoporosis or known as bone loss, is a disease that can make the bones become weak. When experiencing osteoporosis, there are holes in the bone that gradually widened. After widening, the core of the main bone structure will weaken. Osteoporosis can not be recognized until there are symptoms of pain in the spine and waist. While osteoarthritis or known as calcification of joints is a joint pain that causes pain and stiffness, usually occurs in the waist, knees, and neck.

What is the relationship of menopause with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis?

There are several factors that cause osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, some of which are genetic, gender, and age. In fact, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are particularly vulnerable in women compared to men. This is due to the bone structure in women who are thinner and lighter than men. Both osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are equally likely to be more susceptible to women in old age. Because at the age of twilight, the production of estrogen hormones that exist in women began to decrease, until the menopause stage. Under the Cleveland Clinic, women who experience postmenopausal phase will be four times more susceptible to osteoporosis.

Decreased estrogen hormone also affects the occurrence of osteoarthritis in women. According to Dr. Shikhman cited Everyday Health, hormones have a function to prevent pain in cartilage between the joints and bone pillows. Hormones also prevent when we move, there is no pain, so we can move smoothly. When the hormone estrogen in women begin to decrease, the protection against the pain was reduced, so that women are more susceptible to osteoarthritis.

How to handle it?

There are several ways to treat or minimize the likelihood of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis:

• Sports. Always on and try to keep moving. Exercise can strengthen bones and muscles. The recommended exercise is aerobics, a sport that requires body movement such as walking, running, and climbing stairs. In addition, also sports that require the strength of hands or feet like hiking.

• Diet. Try to eat foods that balance the vitamins C, E, D and calcium. You can choose foods that contain antioxidants. In addition, you should consume calcium of 1000-1200 mg per day.

• Healthy lifestyle. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages and not smoking.
Doing hormone therapy. Hormone therapy can be done to reduce menopausal symptoms. But this therapy is not recommended for some women because it may be able to trigger breast cancer cells and high blood. If you want to do this therapy, consult a doctor first.