DISORDERS OF BONES
Posted: under Healthy bones Osteoporosis Rheumatic.
The skeleton which supports the structure of the human body is composed of bone; this consists of protein materials in which a calcium phosphate and carbonate combination constitutes the hard material. The bone is naturally fed with blood, and the blood removes material from the bony skeleton.
Various diseases may seriously damage the system by which the bone is formed and may also bring about destruction of bone. Certain general disturbances of the body chemistry may also influence the bones unfavorably. People who have remained long infirm will have changes in the bone structure of lower parts of the body, whereas the bones of the jaw and other bones which are active will not degenerate. The bones of the spine are the ones chiefly affected.
There are other diseases of bones, such as “Paget’s” in which 95 per cent of the skeleton of the body may be involved.
Bone disorders in adult human beings are divided into two main groups in relationship to whether there is too much calcified bone or too little calcified bone. Since the discovery of the X-ray it has become possible to study the bones much more carefully than previously. Frequently, conditions are detected which formerly were passed unnoticed.
In cases of loss of calcium from the bones, they may become porous. If the loss affects the bones during the growing period, they may bend, so that bowlegs will occur. Softening of the bones by the condition called osteoporosis may occur also, from disuse of the body generally. This happens sometimes following the long retention of a plaster cast. Frequently osteoporosis is found in cases of excessive action of the thyroid and in other instances in which nutrition has been inadequate, particularly when the diet is deficient in calcium and in phosphorus. Osteoporosis has been found when there is deficiency of vitamin C – particularly in growing children. Finally, osteoporosis is seen in old age when all of the tissues of the body begin to lose their ability to function in a normal manner. No one knows just how much of the breakdown in old age is due to lack of function of the sex glands. Senile osteoporosis is more common in women than in men.
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