Bone is one of the most important parts of anatomy. Broken or fractured bones can be a painful situation. However, it is a natural process for our bones to weaken as we age, but if this happens early it’s a sign of health problems such as osteopenia and osteoporosis. You should be aware of this. Both health conditions are different and similar. So this blog is about, Osteopenia vs. osteoporosis.
Our bone density and bone mass depend on our age. Bone mass and density decrease with our age. The condition where peoples’ bone density gets lower than usual, according to their age is called osteopenia. On the other side, Osteoporosis is a similar but severe condition of bone loss that weakens the bone and can cause bone fractures.
Differences Between Osteopenia and Osteoporosis
Our bones are made up of several minerals such as calcium and phosphorous. Bone mass and bone density measure the amount of these minerals in a set of bones. Osteopenia and osteoporosis are severe conditions that lead to loss of bone mass and bone density.
Here in this article, we will know the differences between Osteopenia and Osteoporosis conditions occurring in bones.
Osteopenia –
Osteopenia is a health condition where people have low bone mass. Now, what that means? Every healthy person has a natural age and bone mass and density ratio, but if bone mass and bone density are not as per peoples’ age it’s a problem.
Osteopenia is an early stage of osteoporosis. As we know it’s a must to take care of our bone health as well as our body. So, without treatments, osteopenia can lead to osteoporosis.
Symptoms of Osteopenia:
Osteopenia and Osteoporosis do not have a particular symptom because both conditions are likely similar. A bone fracture can be the sign of either Osteopenia or Osteoporosis.
Here are a few symptoms of osteopenia –
- Height loss
- Bones become very fragile
- Lifting
- Coughing
- Falling from standing height
Height loss is a common symptom of osteopenia. It can be surprising but once a person reaches their peak height, it’s normal for them to lose height with their age if affected with osteopenia. Although height loss is not a particular sign of osteopenia, it can be a symptom of any other underlying health problem.
Causes And Risk Factors of Osteopenia
Osteopenia and Osteoporosis can be considered as a genetic problem. However, hereditary factors mainly control the ability to achieve and maintain bone health and their mineral levels such as calcium and phosphorous levels.
According to an NIH 2021 article, two main reasons can develop or cause osteopenia.
- In the 20s the sign of osteopenia occurs when a person does not reach his/her peak bone mass.
- Losing bone mass after reaching peak bone mass.
Certain factors that can cause osteopenia include:
- Having a body mass index of under 18.5
- Celiac disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Insufficient intake of vitamin D and calcium
- Smoking
- Low level of physical activities
- Excessive alcohol consumption
Osteoporosis –
Osteoporosis is a health problem like osteopenia but it’s more severe. But why? Well, we have mentioned above that osteoporosis is a bone disease where bones become weak, and that causes bone fractures. That is a very painful condition.
Generally, our body has a natural structure known as bone structure, which is made up of a group of cells. These cells are called tissues. So, the main reason behind osteoporosis is structural changes in bone tissues.
Symptoms of Osteoporosis:
Osteoporosis is also known as a silent disease because usually there are no symptoms until a bone fracture is identified.
A few signs that could be symptoms of osteoporosis are:
- Severe back pain due to spinal fracture
- Loss of height
- Bone fractures
- Changes in posture such as stooping and hunching.
Causes and Risk Factors of Osteoporosis
Certain factors may lead osteopenia to osteoporosis are:
- Bone mass and density loss occur more quickly than usual.
- As we mentioned above, it can be genetic in some cases, so family history plays a key role for the next generation in developing osteopenia and osteoporosis.
- Low calcium, vitamin D, and protein diet can increase the risk of developing these diseases.
- Long-term uses of medicines can cause to increase the risk of osteoporosis.
Other factors that can cause these diseases are:
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol consumption
Medical conditions that can cause osteoporosis disease include:
- HIV and AIDS
- Any type of cancer
- Digestive disorder
- Anorexia nervosa
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Endocrine diseases
Antiresorptive Medications for Osteopenia and Osteoporosis
There are mainly two types of medications doctors may prescribe for osteoporosis according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). A few antiresorptive medications are:
- Bisphosphonates
- Calcitonin
- Estrogen therapy etc.
Conclusion –
Everybody knows that medicine comes with several side effects. If you are dependent on medicines for every illness these can be harmful and can cause severe diseases such as osteoporosis. Instead of using medicines for mild health problems such as headaches, normal body pain, etc., you can try or add meditation or some yoga exercises to your daily routine.
Because osteoporosis does not have any specific symptoms, you must be aware of your body mass index, your diet, etc. Also, make sure to consult your doctor if experiencing similar symptoms.
