Osteoporosis
Health can be a finicky subject. So many times healthcare just seems logical — of course, a stronger pain reliever will work better to stop pain… but that’s not true. Of course it’s a good idea to use antibacterial soap to kill more germs… but that’s not true. And why…
This week in health news: Why do we accept some risks and overly focus on others? Mothers and mothers-to-be are generally considered to be very protective of their children’s health, yet a lot of them take medicines that could (and some probably do) endanger their fetus’ health. Other mothers defy…
You might think of your skeleton as simply providing structure for your body, but our bones are actually living organs with many essential functions. In addition to allowing movement and protecting our organs, for example, bones store almost all of the calcium in our bodies, and most of our blood…
Lara Pizzorno minces no words when explaining why she didn’t want to take a class of drugs called bisphosphonates when she got a surprising diagnosis of osteopenia – weak bones, but not osteoporosis – at age 43. “You only need them if you want to accumulate crummy brittle bones,” said…
Less than 40% of senior adults report adverse events they experience with a medication to their doctor. A retrospective study looked at 860 people 70 and older who were living in their community and had multiple health issues. They were asked if they had experienced a list of symptoms, whether…
This article was originally published on STAT on December 18, 2018. How would you feel if you were harmed by a medicine you took as prescribed and then learned that the drug company wasn’t liable — even though it knew about the risk and didn’t tell you or your doctor?…
A federal task force is reiterating a recommendationthat doctors screen all women over the age of 65 for osteoporosis as well as postmenopausal women younger than 65 years who are at increased risk for osteoporosis. After reviewing evidence on screening for osteoporotic fractures, the USPSTF (US Preventive Services Task Force)…
Patients should feel empowered to ask their doctors about choices in their medical care, even if their choice goes against a physician’s opinion. Does your doctor diagnose your preference along with diagnosing your health condition? Patient preference and patient-reported outcomes are hot topics in the medical industry. Four years ago,…
Bisphosphonates can be taken by both men and women to treat osteoporosis. They are often prescribed during cancer treatments because many chemo combinations can tax bone structure and cause osteoporosis. Common Names Fosamax (alendronate), Actonel (risedronate), Boniva (Ibandronate), Reclast (zoledronic acid) Side Effects and What to Do About Them The…
Since the mid-90s, when Fosamax (alendronate) was first approved, bisphosphonates have been commonly used to effectively treat osteoporosis in millions of patients. But bisphosphonates (the class of drugs that work to rebuild and strengthen bone tissue), which are taken either orally or as injections, are not without side effects and…
What do salmon, broccoli, grapes and low-fat milk all have in common? Each of these foods have special medicinal properties that can help sufferers of osteoarthritis (OA) ease joint pain and inflammation without harmful side effects. Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis in the…
