Osteoporosis makes bones weak and brittle, so fragile that even minor stressors like coughing or bending over can break them. Hip, wrist, and spine fractures brought on by osteoporosis are the most frequent.
Bone is a living tissue that undergoes continuous deterioration and replacement. Osteoporosis develops when the production of new bone is insufficient to counteract the loss of existing bone.
People of all races can develop osteoporosis. The risk is greatest for white and Asian women, particularly older women who have passed menopause. Medication, a balanced diet, and weight-bearing exercise can improve already brittle bones or prevent bone loss.
Symptoms of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis frequently has no symptoms. Because of this, it is known as a “quiet disease.” However, you should be cautious about the following:
- Height reduction (getting shorter by an inch or more).
- Positional change (stooping or bending forward).
- Respiration difficulty (smaller lung capacity due to compressed disks).
- Fractures in bones.
- Lower back discomfort
Causes
New bone is created and old bone is broken down as your bones are constantly being renewed. Your bone mass increases when you’re young because your body produces new bone more quickly than it destroys old bone. The majority of people reach their peak bone mass by age 30 after this process slows down in their early 20s. Bone mass decreases more quickly with aging than it is gained.
Your bone mass from your youth has a bearing on how likely you are to acquire osteoporosis. Peak bone mass varies by ethnic group and is partially hereditary. The more bone you have “in the bank” and the higher your peak bone mass, the less likely it is that you will get osteoporosis as you get older.
How to Diagnosis
A device that measures your bone density by utilizing low-dose X-rays to ascertain the number of minerals in your bones is available. You lie on a comfortable surface during this painless examination as a scanner moves over your body. Most often, only a few bones are examined, often the hip and spine.
Treatment
Exercise, vitamins and minerals, supplements, and pharmaceuticals are all possible treatments for osteoporosis that have already progressed. You might benefit from taking vitamins and exercising to prevent osteoporosis. Weight-bearing, resistance, and balancing exercises are all essential.
Medications
Bisphosphonates
The most popular osteoporosis drugs are bisphosphonates, which are provided to both men and women who have a higher risk of fracture. Examples comprise:
- Alendronate (Binosto, Fosamax)
- Ibandronate (Boniva)
- Risedronate (Actonel, Atelvia)
- Acid zoledronic (Reclast, Zometa)
Denosumab
Denosumab (Prolia, Xgeva) decreases the risk of all types of fractures and achieves outcomes in bone density that are comparable to or better than those of bisphosphonates. Denosumab is given as an intramuscular injection every six months.
Hormone-Related Treatment
Estrogen can support bone density maintenance, particularly when started soon after menopause. But estrogen medication can also raise the risk of stroke-causing blood clots and breast cancer. As a result, estrogen is primarily utilized to treat menopausal symptoms in women who are younger or who need it for bone health.
Raloxifene (Evista) imitates estrogen’s favorable effects on bone density in postmenopausal women while avoiding some of the dangers. Some kinds of breast cancer can be prevented by using this medication. One potential adverse effect is hot flushes. Your risk of blood clots may also be increased with raloxifene.
Bone-Building Drugs
Your doctor could advise attempting the following if you have severe osteoporosis or if the most popular therapies for osteoporosis don’t work well enough.
- Teriparatide (Bonsity, Forteo). This potent medication stimulates the creation of new bones and is similar to the parathyroid hormone. For up to two years, it is administered via daily injection under the skin.
- Another medication like parathyroid hormone is abaloparatide (Tymlos). Only two years are allowed to take this medication.
- Romosozumab (Evenity). This is the most recent osteoporosis medicine to promote bone growth. It is only effective for one year of treatment and is administered as an injection monthly at your doctor’s office.
You will typically need to take another osteoporosis medicine to retain the new bone growth after stopping any of these bone-building treatments.
Medicine and healthcare are always experiencing changes and advances in an effort to improve the standard of care provided to patients. Our healthcare professionals at the Doral Health and Wellness Multi speciality clinic are always on the lookout for new technologies and treatment alternatives that can help our patients manage their pain better. Call us on +1-347-384-5690 and get answers to all your queries. Log on to www.doralhw.org or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212 to book an appointment with our endocrinologist to get the best treatment.
