Healthy bones are critical for overall body health. All the bones in the body, including the legs, arms, ribs, skull, and spine, make the human body functional. However, if your bones hurt, it can affect your everyday activities. So, you need to see a specialist immediately if you notice pain and discomfort in your bones. With that said, here are some things to know about human bone health.
Symptoms of Bone Diseases
Conditions that affect your bone flexibility include;
- Sprains
- Bone pain
- Weakness
- Back pain
- Fractures
- Infections
- Joint pain
Reasons Why Joints Ache
There are several causes of joint pain. If you visit a Chicago PRP, it’s easy to understand the cause of your joint pains. Here are the common reasons for joint pains.
Osteoarthritis: It occurs when the lining of the joints wears and tears. This disease mainly affects the hips, hands, and knees.
Ligament injuries: Ligaments attach bones to each other in the body. However, a forceful hit can partially or fully tear the ligaments, causing pain.
Autoimmune Diseases: Diseases such as lupus could cause joint pain. People with such diseases experience stiff joints.
Tendon injuries: Tendons attach the muscles and bones around the joints. An injured tendon causes joint pain because of a tear or inflammation.
Causes and Risk Factors of Bone Diseases
Several factors cause bone diseases, including;
Aging: Most aging people experience joint pain. This is because the mineral content of the bones decreases, making them fragile and painful.
Genetics: People from a family with a history of bone disease can develop a bone disease at some point in their lives. It’s caused by a gene mutation in one or both parents.
Hormonal changes: Sometimes, hormone imbalances can cause bone diseases, such as osteoporosis. Primarily, low testosterone and estrogen levels increase the risk of bone diseases.
Medications: Taking certain medications for longer can increase the risk of bone diseases. You can experience joint pain due to thyroid and sex hormone medication.
Nutrition: Eating a balanced diet makes the bones stronger. That’s why you need to eat calcium and get enough vitamin D.
Lifestyle factors: How you live daily could affect your bone health. Poor lifestyles, including smoking, excessive alcohol, and a lack of exercise, can cause bone diseases.
How to Improve Bone Health
If you want to live a happier life, you need strong bones. If you visit a Chicago PRP, the specialist recommends things for strong hips, knees, and arms.
Eat Dairy Foods
Dairy foods are essential in your diet to increase bone health and flexibility. However, you need to choose foods with lower fats, such as low-fat yogurt and smaller pieces of cheese. Consider eating dairy foods at least twice or three times a week.
Eat Calcium
Calcium is best for strong teeth and bones. Sources of calcium include fish, green leafy leaves, bread, soybeans or soy drinks, canned salmon, water, and fruits, such as kiwi. Also, consider eating dairy foods, such as milk and yogurt.
Avoid or Quit Smoking
Smoking affects bone function in the body. Tobacco affects the bones by reducing bone density, increasing osteoporosis risk. However, avoiding or quitting smoking can prevent bone diseases and ensure excellent body health.
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol affects calcium absorption in the body. Drinking excessive alcohol weakens the bones. Also, you can trip and fall, causing bone fractures. Thus, if you avoid drinking or reducing alcohol, you can improve bone health.
Use Hip Protectors
Hips are some of the most affected bones in the body after a fall. To avoid hip injuries, you can wear hip protectors to prevent injuries after a fall. A Chicago PRP can recommend the best hip protector pants to prevent broken hips.
Exercise Regularly
Several exercises ensure healthy bones. For that reason, consider muscle-strengthening and weight-bearing exercises for a few hours every day. The benefits of regular exercise include improved blood circulation and enhanced bone flexibility. In addition, you can swim or cycle to exercise your bones.
Final Thoughts
Healthy bones are crucial for your overall well-being. However, you need to live a better lifestyle to ensure excellent bone health. Again, visit a specialist regularly if you experience bone pain to avoid complications in the future.