Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, which is widespread in Germany, is an age-related disease of the bones that makes them thinner and more porous. The back hurts, the height decreases and inexplicable bone fractures occur more frequently. We at the Saxon State Spas give you an overview of the disease and point out causes, symptoms and risk factors. You will also learn how radon, as a natural remedy, can have a positive effect on osteoporosis treatment.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease of the skeleton, also known as bone loss. The disease is a creeping process, which in most cases develops in secret and over many years. Usually a diagnosis is only made after the first fracture. Anyone suffering from osteoporosis has to struggle with increasingly thin and porous bones. This often happens in connection with a lack of calcium. This increases the risk of bone fractures. In addition, the mass, quality and strength of the bones are reduced. The health symptoms can occur in both men and women of any age group. However, the risk of developing osteoporosis increases with age.

 

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

Usually the first signs of osteoporosis are not really noticed as they approach silently and secretly. The following symptoms can be an indication of bone loss:

Pain

Almost every third adult in Germany complains of back pain. These can of course also have other causes such as lack of movement or incorrect posture. However, osteoporosis can also be responsible for the pain. Have prolonged pain clarified early so that action can be taken quickly in the event of disease. The later the diagnosis is made, the more bone loss spreads.

Bone fractures that are difficult to trace

With porous bones, even small loads are usually sufficient to break them. So, it does not take more than lifting a heavy bag, supporting it with your hand, a violent movement or a slight stumble until a fracture occurs. Decreasing bone density occurs particularly in vertebral bodies, femoral neck and hip bones as well as in the upper arm and wrist.

Reduction of height

In the long term, osteoporosis can lead to a hunchback and loss of height due to changes in the spine and various fractures. If the disease has progressed far enough, the spine shortens by up to 30 centimetres. A change in stature can result in hardening of the muscles, overstretching of joint capsules, injuries to the periosteum, chronic pain and restricted mobility. All this can lead to bedriddenness.

Tooth loss

Since osteoporosis affects the entire skeleton, even ossified root cavities of the teeth and the periodontium are not spared. As a result of bone loss, other symptoms such as wobbling teeth or, in the worst case, tooth loss can occur.

Causes of osteoporosis

It is impossible to find a universal cause for osteoporosis. The reasons for suffering from bone loss are extremely varied and not always comprehensible. In most cases several factors play a role. For one thing, a previous disease, the wrong nutrition or too little movement can be the trigger. It is often related to drugs that have a negative effect on bone remodelling or hormonal changes. However, the most common cause is associated with age.

For people who reach the age of 40, it is quite normal for bone density and mass to decrease over time. As a rule, the shrinkage amounts to about one percent per year. It becomes dangerous, however, when the loss exceeds the normal level and the bone resorbs too quickly.

The decisive factor here is bone remodelling. The human skeleton is living, complex tissue that structures and adapts itself independently. By building up and breaking down the bones, older tissue is exchanged for new and damaged tissue is replaced naturally. If you suffer from osteoporosis - regardless of your personal trigger - the restructuring processes just described will be disrupted. The consequence is obvious: As soon as the remodelling of the bones is no longer in balance, more bone is gradually lost than built up. This causes the bone to lose stability and load-bearing capacity. As a result, the skeleton suffers great damage and the bone breaks.

Treatment of osteoporosis with radon

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

Treatment of osteoporosis with radon

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Drinking treatments with radon

During the drinking treatment, the radon mineral healing water enters the body through the gastrointestinal tract and thus unfolds its naturally gentle effect. The healing water is drunk regularly over a longer period of time for therapeutic purposes. The duration, amount and time of drinking is determined by the spa doctor. Especially the “Wettinquelle” with approx. 24,000 Bq/l radon is considered the strongest radon spring in the world.

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Spa treatments with radon

Natural healing water is created by the slow infiltration of rain water through different geological layers of rock. During this process it is cleaned, filtered and enriched with minerals and trace elements. In this enriched deep water, carbon dioxide is released by solidified magma from past volcanic activity. The noble gas radon is formed from the radium contained everywhere in the earth’s crust. The Bad Brambach mineral springs receive their health-promoting radon content from the Fichtelgebirge granite. All sources are strictly checked according to the Medicines Act.

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Diagnosis: osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is usually discovered by chance - possibly during an X-ray examination of the upper body. The disease can also be conspicuous by a surprising bone fracture. If you or your doctor suspect that there is a case of osteoporosis behind your symptoms, there are a number of examination options. According to the osteoporosis guideline of the Dachverband Osteologie e.V. (DVO), the basic diagnostics include the following measures:

Anamnesis and clinical findings

The attending doctor gets informed about your medical history and clarifies possible risk factors for osteoporosis. He asks about cases of osteoporosis in the family, weight and size development since adolescence, thyroid disorders, and nicotine, alcohol, coffee and tea consumption. Various tests are also carried out to examine your mobility and the tendency to fall. The medical staff looks for evidence of undetected broken bones.

Osteodensitometry (bone density measurement)

The mineral content of the bones is determined by means of a bone density measurement of the lumbar spine and femur. Osteodensitometry is a low-radiation X-ray method that takes only a few minutes. The measured values result in a risk profile. The decisive factor here is the so-called T-value (T-score), which is compared with the average value of a healthy 30-year-old woman and a man.

 

The results are divided into two categories:

Prevention area
T value at least -1: Normal results 
T value between -1 and -2.5: Osteopenia (preliminary stage of osteoporosis) 
In this area, general measures such as a bone-healthy diet and sufficient movement are sufficient. 
Therapeutic area
T value below -2.5: osteoporosis
T value below -2.5: osteoporosis
In addition to preventive measures, specific therapies such as radon should also be introduced.

 

Risk factors of osteoporosis

Genetic factors:
  • female gender (women have a lower bone mass than men)
  • occurrence of osteoporosis in the family (parents)
  • certain genetic defects (mutations)
Age:
  • after the beginning of menopause in women
  • men over 65 years of age
Diverse lifestyles:
  • Smoking
  • excessive alcohol consumption
  • a low body weight in relation to body size
  • vitamin D deficiency
  • too little movement and/or sunlight
  • excessive sporting activity (high-performance sport)
  • poor nutrition (low in calcium and protein, but rich in phosphate and phytin)
Hormonal changes:
  • hyperthyroidism (in women and men)
  • hypogonadism (missing or reduced hormonal activity of the male testis)
  • absence or infrequent menstruation, early menopause, suppression of ovarian activity (in women)
Drugs that have a negative influence on the metabolism of the bones:
  • Cortisone
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Antiandrogens
  • Antiepileptic drugs
  • Heparin
  • Coumarin
  • Glitazone
  • Immunosuppressants
  • Chemotherapeutics
  • Proton pump inhibitors
  • Antihormone therapy for prostate cancer
Diseases that promote bone loss:
  • thyroid gland diseases
  • diseases of the digestive tract (celiac disease, Morbus Crohn)
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • diabetes (type 1)
  • chronic kidney failure
  • chronic diarrhoea or malabsorption (poor digestion)
  • Liver diseases

Questions around the disease

First, an explanation of how our bones are built. They consist of two basic building blocks:

  • A special fabric (matrix) that gives them shape and stability.
  • Various minerals that are embedded in the matrix. These include above all calcium and phosphate, which ensure that the bone structure is compacted and strengthened.

Bones must be extremely strong and stable on the one hand, but also elastic and flexible on the other. Bone metabolism is a very complex and highly sensitive process. The bones in the human body are undergoing a constant transformation. Continuous build-up and degradation processes take place. Osteoblasts are responsible for bone build-up and osteoclasts for degradation. Up to about 35 years of age, more bone mass is predominantly built-up than degraded. Afterwards a change takes place and the degradation process accelerates with increasing age.

In people affected by osteoporosis, bone resorption predominates, which leads to cavities in the bone. These cannot be sufficiently replenished and bone density decreases.

A balanced nutrition is the key to healthy bones. Because as it is often said: You are what you eat. Above all, the right amounts of vitamins (especially vitamin D), minerals, calcium and protein are crucial. In combination with a physically active life, you can improve the health of your bones and muscles. Don’t worry, you don’t have to change your entire eating habits from scratch. Usually it is enough to eat consciously and make small changes.

Calcium is known to strengthen the bones. In order to optimally supply the bones in your body, you should pay attention to a varied and bone-healthy nutrition. Osteoporosis patients without specific drug therapy should take in about 1,000 to a maximum of 2,000 milligrams of calcium daily with their food. For better understanding: One litre of milk or 100 grams of hard cheese contains one gram of calcium. However, children, adolescents, premenopausal women and men up to the age of 60 are excluded. If the increased calcium supply cannot be converted, supplementation in tablet form is an option.

Give priority to foods that support your metabolism. We recommend green vegetables and fruit as well as cereal products and potatoes. Meat, sausage and high-fat food should only be included in your diet in moderation. The same applies to sugar and salt. It is also particularly important to drink enough liquid. Cook with fresh food and focus on a gentle preparation of the ingredients.

Depending on the cause, the disease is divided into primary and secondary osteoporosis. The primary form covers about 95 percent of cases and develops primarily due to an estrogen deficiency, i.e. during the menopause in women. In addition, primary osteoporosis occurs in both men and women due to the natural aging process of bones, calcium, vitamin D and lack of movement. Secondary osteoporosis is very rare and can occur in both genders. It is usually a consequence of certain diseases or drug therapies that have a negative effect on bone metabolism.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), osteoporosis is one of the ten most common diseases worldwide and is therefore considered a widespread disease. It is difficult to determine an exact number of people affected because the disease often goes undetected. It is estimated that approximately 6 million people in Germany suffer from osteoporosis, with over 80 percent being women. Every year there are about 885,000 new cases in Germany.

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