If there is one disease that goes unnoticed and untreated is osteoporosis. According to the best orthopedic doctor in Islamabad, osteoporosis is responsible for an estimated two million broken bones every year. Still, it is that one of the most misunderstood diseases out there.

Osteoporosis is a condition in which the body suffers from reduced mineral density. It is a silent disease, most of the time people are even unable to know that they are suffering from it. That is why it is the need of the hour to circulate the right information. This will help people greatly and will also improve their health.

With the use of the right information, people are able to know about the situation in a proper manner and they are able to rectify the problem accordingly.

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and skeletal fragility. It is a major public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Osteoporosis is associated with major morbidity and mortality, and approximately 75% of osteoporotic fractures occur in the spine, hip, or proximal humerus. BMD is the main risk factor for osteoporotic fractures, and there are many widely used BMD measurement techniques. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the most frequently used technique for measuring BMD and is the current gold standard for clinical diagnosis[@b4]. However, DXA is not suitable for measuring the BMD of the spine or hip because of its low spatial resolution[@b5]. Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) is an alternative technique for measuring BMD, and has been shown to be more accurate and precise than DXA for measuring BMD in the spine and hip[@b6]. However, QCT is expensive and not widely available.

5 Myths About Osteoporosis Debunked

1.     Cow’s Milk is the Only Answer

This statement is half true and needs more explanation. Yes, calcium and calcium-rich products should be consumed by patients suffering from osteoporosis. But it should not be confined to only drinking cow’s milk.

Other dairy products such as yogurt, cheese are of equal importance. You should also consume them as they are important for your bone health. These dairy products are also important for rejuvenating your bone density.

You should not only limit your diet to dairy products. But is true that they are rich in calcium but they are not the only source of calcium. Several fruits and vegetables are also reserves of calcium. Such as

• Figs
• Broccoli
• Oranges
• Blackberries
• Tangerines

So consume them and get benefitted from calcium.

2.     Osteoporosis is a Women Disease

Hands down this is one of the biggest myths about osteoporosis out there. Yes, it is a silent disease. You periodically lose your bone density and then it leads to the frequent fracture occurring. The damage occurs in the lateral stages of life, but the starting point lies in the early stages of life.

That is why people often think that this disease only occurs in old women, but it is not true. This disease affects both men and women. It also affects young girls.  According to an estimate, 10 to 25 percent of men develop osteoporosis in their lifetime.

So never for one second assume that this disease only affects older women. Because it does not!

3.     If You Have Osteoporosis You Will Know

No this is not true. Patients may be suffering from osteoporosis all their life and they will only get to know about this when the fracture happens.

It is one of the most frustrating aspects of this disease. It affects you and your daily activities on major levels. Osteoporosis renders majorly affects your skeletal system. That is why it is regarded as a silent killer.

Your bones become so brittle that even a minor and small fracture can cause major pain. That is why it is often recommended to get a regular check-up every once in a while. This will help even in the detection of such types of slowly killing diseases.

4.     You Drink Milk How Can You have Osteoporosis?

People often wonder that if they keep a close check on their calcium uptake, they will not get osteoporosis. This is a myth. Yes, there is no denying the fact that drinking milk does a lot for your body than you can even imagine. But it is not the ultimate answer to every issue.

Genetics do play a role in this disease. So you are susceptible to this disease, if it runs in your family or if a close family member suffers from it.

5.     If You Have it, You Cannot do Anything About it

No this is not the truth. Yes, it is rather difficult and is a slow process. But it is certainly not impossible. There is a way to slow down the effects of this disease and that is the use of proper exercise.

Weight-bearing exercises have been a known way to slow down the impacts of osteoporosis. These exercises help you to strengthen the bones and also restore or at least improve the balance.

You can also use prescribed medicines for the treatment. Another way is hormone therapy.

Closing Remarks

Osteoporosis makes its way undetected and leaves your skeletal system miserable. We cannot stretch enough the importance of early and on-time diagnosis in such cases.

Make sure to stay away from rumored and misleading information. Remember to rely on authentic information and visit your primary health care provider every once in a while.