Fracture Center - North Atlanta, GAWebMD Physician DirectoryNorth Atlanta, GeorgiaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-02
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FractureIntroduction to fractureBones form the skeleton of the body and allow the body to be supported against gravity and to move and function in the world. Bones also protect some body parts, and the bone marrow is the production center for blood products. Bone is not a stagnant organ. It is the body's reservoir of calcium and is always undergoing change under the influence of hormones. Parathyroid hormone increases blood calcium levels by leeching calcium from bone, while calcitonin has the opposite effect, allowing bone to accept calcium from the blood.
What causes a fracture?When outside forces are applied to bone it has the potential to fail. Fractures occur when bone cannot withstand those outside forces. Fracture, break, or crack all mean the same thing. One term is not better or worse than another. The integrity of the bone has been lost and the bone structure fails. Broken bones hurt for a variety of reasons including:
Often a fracture is easy to detect because there is obvious deformity. However, at times it is not easily diagnosed. It is important for the physician to take a history of the injury to decide what potential problems might exist. Moreover, fractures don't always occur in isolation, and there may be associated injuries that need to be addressed. Fractures can occur because of direct blows, twisting injuries, or falls. The type of forces on the bone may determine what type of injury that occurs. Descriptions of fractures can ... Recommended Reading Related to FractureWhat is osteoporosis?Osteoporosis is a condition that is characterized by bones that are less dense than, and thus not as strong as, normal bone. Osteoporosis increases the risk of breaking bone (fracture) with even minor trauma, such as a fall from standing height, or even from a cough or sneeze. Unfortunately, people often do not realize they have osteoporosis until either they have a fracture or have a screening test ordered by their doctor to check for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis and low bone mass affect an estimated 44 million Americans (National Osteoporosis Foundation 2008). Of those, 10 million have osteoporosis, and the remaining 34 million have a lower than normal bone mass and are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. Other risk factors include older age, family history of osteoporosis, small and thin stature, inactive lifestyle, smoking, alcohol, and use of certain medications in... Other Related Fracture ArticlesEmergency Contact for North Atlanta
Nearby North Atlanta Hospitals * Children's Healthcare at Scottish Rite  Northside Hospital  Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta  Peachford Behavioral Health System of Atlanta  Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital  Atlanta VA Medical Center  Children's Healthcare at Egleston  Emory University Hospital  Hillside Hospital  Piedmont Hospital  Shepherd Center  DeKalb Medical Center  Laurel Heights Hospital  DeKalb Medical  Kindred Hospital Atlanta  Emory University Hospital Midtown  Select Specialty Hospital Atlanta  Atlanta Medical Center  Grady Health System  Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital  Emory Adventist Hospital  Ridgeview Institute  Georgia Regional Hospital at Atlanta  Gwinnett Medical Center Duluth  North Fulton Regional Hospital  Regency Hospital of South Atlanta  South Fulton Medical Center  Wellstar Kennestone Hospital  Glancy Rehabilitation Center  DeKalb Medical Center at Hillandale  Wellstar Cobb Hospital  Emory Johns Creek Hospital  Devereux Georgia Treatment Network  Emory Eastside Medical Center  Anchor Hospital  Gwinnett Medical Center  Southern Regional Medical Center  SummitRidge Center for Psychiatry & Addiction Medicine  Rockdale Medical Center  Northside Hospital Forsyth  Wellstar Douglas Hospital  Henry Medical Center  Inner Harbour Hospitals  Northside Hospital Cherokee  Wellstar Paulding Hospital  Piedmont Fayette Hospital  Newton Medical Center  Tanner Medical Center Villa Rica Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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Osteoporosis
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