Dubai: Despite being in a country with abundant sunshine, many UAE residents, especially women, still suffer from osteoporosis, a doctor said in a health awareness seminar recently.
Osteoporosis is a condition where bones are weak and fragile which can lead to increased incidence of hip and vertebral fractures, body posture changes (kyphosis).
Dr Pervaiz Hashemi, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), discussed the recent advances in the treatment of osteoarthritis, a chronic disease that affects a person’s joint movements for life, and osteoporosis in a health awareness seminar organised by AKUH in Dubai.
Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis may be a consequence of increasing age, wear and tear on the joint resulting in breakdown of the cartilage and rheumatoid arthritis which is an inflammatory condition of the joints and often involves other body systems.
Early detection and intervention can help decrease the incidence of the consequences of this silent disease, Dr Hashemi said. And with the recent advances in technology, patients with osteoarthritis may opt to have arthroscopy, where joints will be examined through a telescope and minor damage will be treated. These surgeries only leave a minimal scar and are less painful.
