Whenever osteoporosis or the problem of brittle bones is mentioned, the first thing that usually pops to mind is a picture of a grandma or a stooping old lady – well, that was in the past.
Gone are the days when victims were only elderly women. More and more research is pointing out that the problem is expanding drastically because of unawareness, bad lifestyle habits, and non-compliance with treatment.
On 25 December a panel of the Egyptian Society for Osteoporosis and Geriatrics (ESOG) convened to shed light on the current statistics and facts regarding Egyptians and osteoporosis, talk about the launch of a new awareness campaign, and announce a breakthrough in treatment.
"Worldwide, a bone fracture occurs every three seconds, and one in two women and one in five men are at risk," says Dr Hassan Bassiouni, Professor of Rheumatology at Al-Azhar University.
He added that in Egypt, the problem affects almost 30 percent of the population, and that the most recent studies point out that almost 54 percent of post-menopausal women in the country have a primary form of the disease called Osteopenia, while 28.4 percent have full blown osteoporosis. Men are no exception, with percentages of 26 and 21.9 respectively.
Dr Adel Mahmoud, Professor of Rheumatology at Ain Shams University, talked about the reason why osteoporosis is dubbed 'the silent thief'. It is painless and without apparent symptoms until a fracture occurs.
Dr Taymour El-Husseiny, Professor of Orthopaedics at Ain Shams University, said that the problem is augmented for women after menopause.“The ongoing process of certain cells removing old bone while others rebuild it keeps bones strong.
"After menopause, bone removing cells cause bone loss at an overly rapid pace, leaving women with thinner and weaker bones and putting them at risk of fracture."
"So women are generally more prone to the problem, but smoking, a presence of family history, prolonged exposure to corticosteroids increase the probabilities," Dr Adel Mahmoud says.
He added that the following life style changes are essential to evade the nightmare of fragile bones and look ahead for years of healthy and active life:
-- Cut down the fizzy drinks often contain phosphates which reduce the absorption of calcium. Moderation should also apply to caffeine and alcohol intake.
-- Embrace a regular schedule of exercise, especially weight-bearing activities which improves the strength of the skeletal system, and where the body is supporting its own weight.
-- Decrease your intake of caffeine and smoking as they reduce calcium levels.
-- Needless to say, never ignore calcium in food.1000 mg daily is recommended, found in dairy products, baked beans, broccoli, tofu, soya, kidney beans, whole meal bread and sardines.
-- Expose your skin to the sun, to ensure the absorption of the necessary vitamin D.
Dr Ashraf El-Nahhal, Professor of Orthopaedics at Cairo University, pointed out some other main problems related to the awareness of Egyptians when it comes to the health of their bones.
"Unfortunately, we usually see the patients for the first time after the fracture had occurred. At that late stage, we have seen that even after treatment, the function never returns to its state prior to the fracture or bone break.
"When people have chronic diseases, they tend not to give much importance to osteoporosis in comparison to other health issues. Accordingly they eventually they do not adhere to the drugs in a the long run," he said.
"That is why the recent approval by the Egyptian Ministry of Health for new medications like Prolia is very important. Not only does it have no negative effect on those suffering also from impaired kidney functions, but also it facilitates the adherence to treatment for a long time, as it only requires injections every six months, in comparison to prior treatments that necessitates regular administration of pills,” says Dr El-Badawy.
One of the main announcements of the convention was at the end made by Ms Abeer El-Darouti, director of ESOG, announcing the launch of a campaign titled "You are stronger."
The campaign will start in Cairo before moving on to other governorates, raising awareness among women regarding the risk of osteoporosis, and shedding light on the importance of early detection and treatment options.
Free bone density tests will also be given to every body as the campaigns sweeps through different destinations in Egypt.
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