Have you ever thought, “how healthy am I really?” Just like anything, for something to work properly, we must take care of it. Our musculoskeletal system is made up of hundreds of moving parts (bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage), all working together to allow our body to move and function at its optimal level. However, sometimes these structures can become injured, or wear down over time, or can become affected by disease. It’s important to understand some of the warning signs to look out for, in order to maintain your best physical condition.
Internal medicine physicians, or internists, are specialists who apply evidence-based scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to diagnose and treat adults with general health problems, as well as a wide variety of complex chronic illnesses, such as musculoskeletal diseases (osteoporosis), heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, obesity, chronic lung disease, and more.
An internist may also consult with doctors in other fields of medicine, or may be asked to consult on a patient by another specialist. They will coordinate your overall care, outline specific health and wellness guidelines, and recommend other specialists when needed.
Subspecialties of internal medicine include allergy and immunology, cardiology (heart), endocrinology (hormone disorders), infectious diseases, gastroenterology (diseases of the gut), oncology (cancer), pulmonology (lung disorders), and rheumatology (arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders).
Our skeletal system is made up of hundreds of bones, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves. Bones provide support for the body, anchor muscles allowing them to contract, and allow our limbs to have mobility. Additionally, bones act as the body’s source of calcium, and are always going through changes under the control of hormones. Due to these factors, bones are vulnerable to a multitude of injuries.
Similar to other materials, like glass, bones can break when overloaded beyond their limit. This means a fracture can be anything from a hairline crack in the bone, to a completely shattered bone with multiple pieces and deformities. Fractures can occur in anyone, but especially in patients with osteoporosis, when they can result from simple falls.
Osteoporosis, which means “porous bones,” is a disease that results due to bone loss. It affects approximately 10 million Americans, a majority of that percentage being women. People with osteoporosis are prone to fracturing their bones due to low bone density. In other words, loss of bone tissue and low bone mass causes weak and fragile bone structure. Research shows that genetics plays a major role in osteoporosis. If your family has a history of osteoporosis or broken bones, you are more at risk for developing the disease.
Today, researchers and doctors know a lot more about how to protect your bones throughout your life. The tools and techniques used by specialists to diagnose and treat conditions are constantly evolving. There are a variety of imaging solutions (MRI, CT Scan, Ultrasound, Bone Density scans), available to help your doctor accurately diagnose disorders and injuries, and identify the exact cause of what is actually affecting the musculoskeletal system, in this case, osteoporosis.
Doctors state that it is crucial for people over 65, to get a bone mineral density screening (BMD) to test if they have the condition. BMD is a straightforward and painless procedure, which measures bone density in particular areas of the body, most commonly the spine and hips. This disease is more common as we age, and is incurable, but can be treated and controlled with proper diet, exercise, and medication.
So, the real question is, how do we know whether our bones are healthy or not? They are not visible to the naked eye, or able to be listened to through a stethoscope like the heart and lungs. If you are one that is always wondering what someone or something can tell you about your health, turns out, there are many visible signs and symptoms that can shed a light on the health status of your bones.
Investigating these signs of osteoporosis early on, may save you or someone you know from missing them, or ignoring pain that needs to be addressed by a specialist. Identifying these signs early, will Identify the early symptoms early on and help you to begin treating your osteoporosis sooner.
In other words, if you begin experiencing any of these signs, it is very important that you undergo a screening, because if you are developing osteoporosis, the sooner you begin treatment, the more it can be prevented from becoming a severe case. Most importantly, getting tested early, after reading the signs of early stages of the disease, will offer you the ability to have strength and mobility for the rest of your life, which those diagnosed with osteoporosis unfortunately suffer the loss of. Here are some of the indicators of early bone loss due to osteoporosis:
- State of your jaw: One of the most common indications of osteoporosis is your jaw. Our teeth are connected to the jaw, and if the jaw is losing bone mass, the gums can begin to recede from the teeth. Your jaw is not as solid or dense as the other bones in your body, and therefore, bone loss usually occurs here first. If you experience symptoms of teeth problems, gum disease, or difficulty speaking and chewing your food, this may be a sign that you are experiencing a decrease in bone density.
- Upper back curvature, loss of height, and pain: Upper back curvature means that your upper back slopes downward, causing you to become bent-over. If you feel like you shrunk in height, your spine and bones may actually be shrinking. Severe back pain is a common symptom, and if you begin experiencing it, this is another important indication that you are developing osteoporosis. Studies have also shown that in women, bone loss has also been associated with lower bone density in the lumbar spine (lower back), which explains why back pain is a common sign of early osteoporosis.
- Decrease in grip strength: As we grow older, one of the surest ways to reduce the risk of falling and fracturing a bone is knowing how to protect your bones. Those with osteoporosis are prone to fracturing bones due to low bone density, so, having good balance, overall muscle strength, and grip strength are fundamental. If you are losing strength when holding onto things, this can be a clear sign that your muscles are weakening, and the development of osteoporosis may be occurring.
- Low fitness levels: According to research, osteoporosis has been linked to decline in physical fitness, as measured by ability and capacity to exercise, muscle strength, and even balance. If your amount of exercise and physical fitness has been gradually declining, it is likely that your bone density will also decline, making you at risk for developing the disease.
Getting enough calcium to make your bones strong, and exercising to become stronger, is very important. Eating fruits and vegetables, and having a nutritional diet is also beneficial to bones. Eating poorly, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and not exercising can cause bone loss.
At SC Internal Medicine Associates and Rehabilitation, LLC, we focus on comprehensive general internal medicine for adults with special emphasis on health maintenance, prevention, and risk factor modification.
In addition to routine health screenings, complete physical examinations and preventive care, our team, focused on providing compassionate care for our patients, are skilled at managing chronic conditions. We believe that our team of experienced board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants developing long lasting patient-centered relationships is the key to better health, and helping our patients with early signs of osteoporosis, live their life well, and to the fullest.
To learn more about the early signs of osteoporosis, and what to look out for, call SC Internal Medicine Associates and Rehabilitation at (803) 749-1111 to make an appointment.
