Broken bones from a sneeze? These signs in your body indicate your bones are becoming brittle!

In the orthopedic clinic, we often see patients who break bones just by sneezing. Many people find it incredible that hard bones are so fragile that they can't even withstand a sneeze.

In fact, your bones are not as "hard" as you think.

Today, Kangxun.com will introduce a special "killer" to you. It is good at camouflage and usually sneaks up on you. Even before you realize its presence, it has already "killed you and caused a fracture", which is often the "last fracture" for the elderly.

It is what people often call the "invisible killer" of the elderly - osteoporosis!

Osteoporosis is a bone disease associated with aging, and the incidence rate increases with age. In October 2018, the National Health Commission announced the results of the first epidemiological survey on osteoporosis in China, showing that osteoporosis has become an important health problem for the middle-aged and elderly population in my country. The prevalence of osteoporosis in people over 50 years old is 19.2%, of which 32.1% are women and 6.0% are men; the prevalence rate in urban areas is 16.2%, and 20.7% in rural areas. The prevalence of osteoporosis in people over 65 years old is 32.0%, of which 51.6% are women and 10.7% are men; the prevalence rate in urban areas is 25.6%, and the prevalence rate in rural areas is 35.3%.

The most serious consequence of osteoporosis is brittle fractures, which usually refer to fractures that occur in daily life or when subjected to slight external forces. Common sites are the thoracic and lumbar spine, proximal femur, distal forearm and proximal humerus, etc., and are one of the main causes of disability and death in elderly patients. Data show that in 2010, there were 2.33 million patients with brittle fractures in my country, including 360,000 hip fractures, 1.11 million vertebral fractures, and 860,000 other brittle fractures, with medical expenses of 64.9 billion yuan. It is predicted that by 2035, the number of major brittle fractures (wrist, vertebral and hip) in my country will reach 4.83 million, and by 2050, the number will reach 5.99 million, with corresponding medical expenses of up to 174.5 billion yuan. About 20% of elderly patients with hip fractures die from various complications within one year, and about 50% of patients become disabled.

The significance and task of preventing and treating osteoporosis are great!

Most osteoporosis cases have no obvious clinical symptoms. With the loss of bone mass, destruction of bone microstructure, decline in bone mechanical properties and the appearance of microfractures, patients may experience back pain or general bone pain. In severe cases, they may become shorter or have spinal deformities, or even osteoporotic fractures. Therefore, when the following symptoms occur, you should be alert to the occurrence of osteoporosis.

1. Pain

Pain is the most common symptom of osteoporosis. It is usually dull and spreads to both sides of the spine. The pain is mainly in the lower back. In severe cases, the whole body may ache, and it may even be difficult to stand up or walk. The pain will worsen after sitting or standing for a long time, and the pain in female patients is usually more severe than that in male patients.

2. Fatigue

Patients with osteoporosis are prone to fatigue, which increases their sense of weakness after exertion and reduces their weight-bearing capacity.

3. Spinal deformity

Patients with more severe osteoporosis will suffer from vertebral compression, resulting in deformities such as shortened height and hunchback, which will also affect cardiopulmonary function. Hunchback is an important sign of osteoporosis. Some patients may develop scoliosis or pigeon chest, which is more common in elderly women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

4. Fracture

People with more severe osteoporosis are more likely to suffer fractures when subjected to slight external force. The most common fracture site is the vertebral body, followed by fractures of the lower end of the radius.

5. Limited activity

Since osteoporosis can cause joint pain, swelling, etc., it may lead to limited activities and affect normal life.

6. Cramps

Patients with osteoporosis may also experience cramps, and in severe cases may be bedridden and have convulsions in their hands and feet.

1. Sunbathe

It is advisable to sunbathe for 15 to 30 minutes every day, and the best time is generally between 11:00 and 15:00.

2. Scientific Movement

Exercise for about 30 minutes every day. According to your physical condition, you can choose walking, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, gymnastics and other sports. Scientific exercise can effectively stimulate the growth of osteoblasts and make bones adapt to the corresponding exercise intensity.

3. Eat a healthy diet

Eat more foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, such as milk, dried shrimps, green vegetables, soy products, nuts, marine fish, egg yolks, animal livers, etc. Calcium is an important component of bones and is involved in bone metabolism and growth and development, while vitamin D is essential for the transportation and absorption of calcium. Therefore, both need to be supplemented in a balanced manner.

At the same time, eat less high-salt and high-sugar foods, do not drink strong tea and coffee, quit smoking, drinking and other beverages, and prevent osteoporosis scientifically.