Osteoporosis is a debilitating health condition facing many today.

This condition can be horrifically life altering so much that basic daily activities become one of which you are afraid out of fear of sustaining a new fracture. Osteoporosis treatment focuses on increasing both strength and bone density while also preventing further bone loss.

As with many other health conditions, osteoporosis should be a part of an early health screening practice so that diagnosis can be made early in the process.

With an early diagnosis and subsequent aggressive treatment of osteoporosis you have a much better chance of avoiding future fractures. At the present time, osteoporosis treatments offer no cure but that does not mean treatment should be avoided since early intervention can help to keep the situation from worsening.

If you are looking for changes that you can make that will help you to fight the onset or the progression of osteoporosis, there are several easy options that you can start today.

For example, if you want to decrease your osteoporosis risk, then quit or better yet, never start, smoking! Women who smoke show lower levels of estrogen and these lower levels can lead to bone loss. Besides the negative impact on your bones, there is a litany of other negative health conditions associated with smoking. Another option for you to decrease your risk is to eat a healthy and well balanced diet, infused with an adequate amount of calcium and vitamin D. Also avoid alcohol and put down the remote, get up off the couch and exercise.

Ok, so no one really wants to be told to exercise, but recovering from an osteoporotic fracture is much more agonizing than any amount of exercise could ever be. Exercise helps you to improve your overall balance, your general health and your flexibility; all of which can help you reduce your chance of a fall and possibly a bone fracture. Weight-bearing exercises, such as a daily walk, are a good treatment for osteoporosis prevention. Of course, before you start any sort of exercise program you must have clearance from your health care provider.

Osteoporosis treatment may include prescription medications such as Fosamax, Actonel, and Boniva. These medications and others in this class work to prevent more bone loss and increase bone strength. Another choice for osteoporosis medication includes those such as Forteo which work by increasing bone formation.

Once you have a definitive diagnosis of osteoporosis, your healthcare provider must decide the extent of your illness. Once that has been determined, a decision will have to be made to determine if your situation can be treated with alterations in your lifestyle only or if it is so severe that both alterations and medications must be ordered at once.

This serious health concern deserves a serious discussion with your physician, followed by a firm commitment from you to follow the prescribed osteoporosis treatment and to do whatever it takes to stop any further bone loss.