Bone Ailments

Bone ailments are the innumerable maladies which impact the bones inside the human body. The bones carry out significant functions of coordinating movement, support and strength of the entire body of man. Bone diseases often result in loss of essential nutrient from bones, which lead to weakening if the bone structure making them brittle. There are several bone ailments which cause the accumulation of excessive calcium in the bones and pave the way for abnormal tissue growth and other disorders. Numerous bone and cartilage issues might inflict humans, which are caused by different factors.

Bone ailments are basically of four main types, of which the most commonly occurring disease is osteoporosis. Metabolic ailments, skeletal and development skeletal disorders are the other types of bone ailments.

Osteoporosis : Osteoporosis is mainly common in elderly and thin people. It is believed to be caused due to certain lifestyle features and lack of a nourishing diet. Deficiency of vitamin D, calcium and other vitamins and minerals are known to cause osteoporosis. The main cause of this disease is loss of bone density. Physical workouts and exercises like brisk walking, running and lifting weights enable one to get rid of this ailment by building new bone tissue.

Metabolic Bone Ailments : There are different kinds of metabolic bone ailments like Paget`s disease, Osteomalacia, Renal Osteodystrophy and some others.

Paget`s disease : Paget`s disease occurs when old tissue is replaced by a new tissue inside the bone, which is also known as remodelling. This malady seems to be a genetic disorder. Its causes are not yet discovered. Bones become inflamed which makes them become too soft and enlarged. Ultimately bones start breaking.

Osteomalacia : Osteomalacia softens bones and is caused by the deficiency of Vitamin D. Patients who have undergone bypass surgery or possess Celiac disease might also develop this disease. Incomplete digestion of Vitamin D also causes this disorder.

Renal Osteodystrophy : Renal Osteodystrophy is another metabolic bone ailment which happens because of the incapability of the kidneys to regulate the levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. About 90 percent of patients who undergo dialysis have renal osteodystrophy.

Skeletal Bone Ailments : Acquired skeletal bone diseases are generally caused by cancer. Excess growth of cells can take place inside plasma cells or inside tissues. Bone cancer might attack any bone in the human body. However, normally the long bones are affected by bone cancer. Chondrosarcoma occurs in the cartilage while Osteosarcoma takes place in the osteroid region of the bone.

Development Skeletal Bone Ailments : Developmental bone disorders are much rarer than other bone diseases. Osteoporosis Imperfecta is present in humans ever since their birth since it is a congenital disease. The disease of Osteopetrosis is another disease which is prone to inflict people since their birth.

Hyperparathyroidism : This bone ailment occurs when the parathyroid glands release excessive quantity of hormones. If parathyroid hormones are present in abnormal amounts, this will make the bones release excess calcium. Fractures and weak bones are the main consequences of this ailment.

Other Bone Ailments : There are numerous other bone ailments which might attack man. Bone spur or Osteophytes, Fibrous Dysphasia, Greensick Fracture, Osteoarthritis, Osteomyelitis, Water on the Knee are some examples of bone-related complications, amongst innumerable others.

Bone problems are caused in aged people, particularly if they are white, a smoker, and underweight, alcoholic, post-menopausal women with lower levels of oestrogen and might also attack people whose family possess a history of bone diseases. Lack of adequate physical exercise is also the reasons for bone ailments.

Initially, scholars had asserted that the primary cause of bone ailments was mechanical faults. However, modern medical technology has concluded that certain chemical conditions are responsible for the conditions which occur in the body along with the mechanical complications. The advancement in the field of science has made possible successful treatments for most bone ailments.

Bone is the only part of the body which is so durable that it exists long after other body tissues decompose. However, bones present in living body can easily lose minerals and become prone to diseases of bones in which it becomes weak and easily gets fractured. The main constituent of bone is calcium which gives strength and stiffness to bones.

Studies have shown that 50 percent of women suffer from weak bones leading to fractures. In fact, in women most of the bone mass is formed before puberty and reaches a peak in late 20s. According to one"s age, the rate at which bone breaks down becomes higher than that at which it builds. The calcium is utilized for other functions such as contraction of muscles and clotting of blood, bones are deprived of required calcium.

Nutrition for Bone Diseases : The lifestyle as a teenager strongly controls the built of the bones and can help in reducing risk of fractures in late lives. If good calcium rich food regime, combined with physical activity, is followed early in life (teenage) risk of fracturing can be reduced in later years. Habits such as smoking are very bad for bones.

Body requires Calcium for keeping good health of bones, teeth and maintaining other body functions related with heart, muscles and nerves. Since human body cannot produce Calcium, it needs to absorb Calcium from food. The amount of Calcium that must be consumed varies with individuals and depends on age or sex. Besides calcium, body also needs vitamin D for transferring calcium from the digested food in intestine to the bloodstream and bones. The requirement for vitamin D is fulfilled by short exposure to sun. Also, vitamin A, vitamin C, Magnesium, Zinc and protein are also required for the scaffold of bones. The easiest source for calcium and protein is Milk.

Calcium rich food items include; Dairy products that are low in fat content i.e., Skimmed milk, Curd, Cheese, Green leafy vegetables, Dry Fruits like Almonds and Figs, Soy milk, Sesame seeds, White beans, Orange, Okra, Broccoli (boiled), etc are very essential for bones.

Regular Care for Bone Diseases : A Calcium rich diet and regular physical activity in early life is the key to strong bones. Physical activities could include weight-lifting, walking, jogging, running, hiking, stair climbing, jumping rope, basketball, etc. It is recommended that adults exercise for at least 30 minutes and children at least 60 minutes per day for stronger bone. Apart from this, one must also look after the diet to get stronger bones. One must not smoke or drink, as it looses lots of calcium, zinc and magnesium in urine.

Yoga is an excellent activity for people of any age who want to strengthen their bones and improve their overall health. Strong bones balance the body and help one to maintain a correct posture.

Most people believe that bone weakening is an inevitable age-related condition. In fact, poor dietary habits, lack of physical exercise, certain medications, excessive smoking and family history of bone disease are some common causes of gradual loss of bone.

Study shows that yoga is an effective way to build bone mineral density after menopause. Patients with bone-weakening diseases who practiced 10 minutes of yoga daily; results in improvement in spine and hip bone density, reduction in the severity of bone weakening and complete reversal of bone weakening.

Yoga Asanas for Bone Diseases : To keep the bones strong and prevent bone-related problems in the future, one must incorporate yoga into daily life. Some of the best yoga asanas for strong bones are as follows:
•Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
•Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
•Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
•Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
•Setu Bandha
•Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
•Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)
•Salabhasana (Locust Pose)