Osteoporosis causes bone density loss, leading to brittle bones and painful conditions such as widow’s hump. Calcium intake can prevent osteoporosis, and mild cases can be treated with supplements and exercises. More severe cases may require medical procedures such as vertebroplasty or kyphoblastia.
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that affects more than half of people aged 50 and over, although it tends to occur more frequently in women than in men. It is characterized by a gradual loss of bone density and erosion of bone tissue ultimately leading to porous and extremely brittle bones highly susceptible to fracture. A widow’s hump, also known as kyphosis, is one of many painful conditions that can occur as a result of osteoporosis. It is a severe spinal hump caused by a fracture of a vertebral vertebra, forcing the spine itself to bend forward under the weight of the body mass it is supposed to support.
The term “widow” is designed to describe the forward-leaning curvature of an older woman’s spine that develops with age. This slope is often the direct result of a vertebra in the spine having broken or been crushed, causing any of the vertebrae to curve forward above the fracture site. This type of fracture is also known as a wedge fracture, primarily because the nature of the fracture is to eventually crush the anterior portion of the vertebrae while leaving the posterior portion somewhat intact. While widow’s hump may seem like a natural occurrence that comes with old age, it is, in fact, an extremely painful condition that can be avoided.
Studies show that osteoporosis is a higher risk for individuals whose calcium intake has been less than ideal over the years. The longer your body goes without the calcium levels needed to maintain bone structure, the more likely you are to develop osteoporosis. Because the disease occurs gradually over time, its onset is typically not detected until late in life, hence its frequent association with elderly or elderly individuals. A correct calcium intake, therefore, is the main prevention tool that can be used to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and the widow’s hump that can derive from it.
If widow’s hump is still fairly mild in nature and hasn’t progressed to the point where medical intervention is needed, there are several ways it can be treated and the effects of the condition minimized. Mild bone loss can be reversed with the appropriate calcium supplements, allowing the damaged vertebrae to rebuild their internal structure and potentially repair themselves. There are also a number of exercises designed specifically to help strengthen the muscles surrounding the fractured vertebrae, gradually reducing any pain and discomfort that may be present, and also increasing mobility and balance, two key factors that can deteriorate dramatically in cause of the condition.
If a widow’s hump has already passed the point of treatment with simple exercise, there are two medical procedures that involve injecting a medical grade cement into the area of the fracture. They are designed to help strengthen damaged vertebrae and potentially reverse the effects of widow’s hump. The non-surgical process is referred to as vertebroplasty and is designed for the moderate onset of the condition. It can be performed on an outpatient basis with local anesthesia only. For more severe cases, a much larger amount of cement is required, and the surgical version of the procedure, called kyphoblastia, is the recommended course of treatment.
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