Fracture Center - Saint Charles, MOWebMD Physician DirectorySaint Charles, MissouriUpcoming Local Events2012-06-09
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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 Saint Charles
Nearby Saint Charles Hospitals * SSM St Joseph Health Center  SSM DePaul Health Center  Barnes-Jewish St Peter's Hospital  St John's Urgent Care Center Saint Peters  Ranken Jordan Pediatric Rehabilitation  Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital  Northwest HealthCare  Center Pointe Hospital  St Luke's Hospital  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in St Charles  St John's Mercy Medical Center  St John's Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital  Dubuis Hospital of St Louis  Missouri Baptist Medical Center  St John's Mercy Urgent Care Center  Shriners Hospital for Children  Hawthorn Children's Psychiatric Hospital  Christian Hospital NE  Progress West HealthCare Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center at WingHaven  St Luke's Urgent Care Center on Clarkson Road  Des Peres Hospital  SSM Rehab  SSM St Mary's Health Center  Metropolitan St Louis Psychiatric Center  SSM St Joseph Hospital West  Forest Park Community Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital St Louis  Barnes-Jewish Hospital North Campus  Kindred Hospital St Louis  Barnes-Jewish Hospital South Campus  St Louis Children's Hospital  The Rehabilitation Institute of St Louis  St Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center  St Louis VA Medical Center John Cochran Division  Saint Louis University Hospital  SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center  SSM St Clare Health Center  St Clare's Hospital  St Anthony's Health Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in Fenton  Alton Memorial Hospital  Gateway Regional Medical Center  St Alexius Hospital Broadway Campus  Kindred Hospital St Anthony's  St Anthony's Medical Center  SSM St Joseph Health Center Wentzville  Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital  St Louis VA Medical Center Jefferson Barracks  Jersey Community Hospital  Touchette Regional Hospital  Lincoln County Medical Center  Anderson Hospital  Memorial Hospital Belleville  St John's Mercy Hospital  St Elizabeth's Hospital Belleville 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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