Osteoporosis is a disease that is characterized by decreased bone strength and affects mainly people who have a family history of this disease, who use cigarettes or who have rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, osteoporosis is more common in women after menopause, due to hormonal changes, and in men who are over 65 years old.
In most cases, osteoporosis does not cause specific symptoms, but as the bones of people who have osteoporosis become fragile and lose strength due to the reduction of calcium and phosphorus in the body, small fractures can occur. These fractures occur mainly in the vertebrae, in the thigh and wrist bones and can cause signs and symptoms such as:
- Pain in the spine: it arises especially due to a fracture in one or more vertebrae, and it can be pain that is prickly in the back and, in some cases, improve when lying or sitting; Tingling in the legs: happens when a fracture of the vertebrae reaches the spinal cord; Height decrease: occurs when fractures in the spine wear out the part of cartilage that is between the vertebrae, with a reduction of about 4 cm; Bent posture: it happens in more advanced cases of osteoporosis due to some fracture or degeneration of the vertebrae in the spine.
In addition, fractures caused by osteoporosis can arise after a fall or some physical effort, so it is necessary to take measures to prevent these falls, such as using non-slip shoes.
Who is most at risk
Osteoporosis is more common in the following situations:
- Women after menopause; Men over 65; Family history of osteoporosis; Low body mass index; Long-term use of corticosteroids, over 3 months; Ingestion of alcohol in large quantities; Low intake of calcium in the diet; Use cigarette.
In addition, other diseases can lead to osteoporosis such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, kidney failure and hyperthyroidism.
How to confirm the diagnosis in case of fracture
When symptoms of fractures caused by osteoporosis appear, it is important to seek medical attention who may request an X-ray to check whether a fracture actually exists and, depending on the severity and extent of the fracture, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging may be necessary..
If the doctor suspects that the person has osteoporosis, he or she can order a bone densitometry exam, which serves to check bone loss, that is, to identify whether the bones are fragile. Find out more about how bone densitometry is performed.
In addition, the doctor will assess the health history of the person and family and may order blood tests to analyze the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the body, which are reduced in osteoporosis, and also to assess the amount of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase, who may have high values for osteoporosis.
In more rare cases, when bone fragility is very intense and when there are several fractures at the same time, the doctor may order a bone biopsy.
How treatment is done
When identifying the presence of a fracture, the doctor will assess the severity and indicate a treatment, such as immobilizing the affected part with splints, bands or plaster and may also indicate only rest so that the body can recover the fracture.
Even if there is no fracture, when diagnosing osteoporosis, the doctor will indicate the use of medicines to strengthen the bones, physical therapy, regular physical exercise, such as walking or weight training and eating foods rich in calcium, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, for example.. Learn more about treatment for osteoporosis.
To avoid fractures, it is necessary to take measures to prevent falls, such as wearing non-slip shoes, avoid climbing stairs, installing handrails in the bathroom, avoid walking in places with holes and unevenness and keep the environment well lit.
In addition, it is important to be more careful with people who, in addition to osteoporosis, also have other diseases such as dementia, Parkinson's disease or visual disturbances, as they are at greater risk of having a fall and suffering a fracture.
