How is osteoporosis treated?

Written by Xie Yi Song
Orthopedics
Updated on September 01, 2024
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Osteoporosis is a systemic metabolic disease characterized by low bone mass and destruction of bone tissue microstructure, leading to increased bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures. Osteoporosis is common in the elderly but can occur at any age. Effective pharmacological treatments can prevent and treat osteoporosis, including estrogen replacement therapy, calcitonin, selective estrogen receptor modulators, and bisphosphonates, which can prevent bone resorption but have little effect on bone formation. Medications used to treat and prevent the development of osteoporosis fall into two main categories: the first category includes drugs that inhibit bone resorption, such as calcium supplements, vitamin D and active vitamin D, calcitonin, bisphosphonates, estrogen, and isoflavones; the second category includes drugs that promote bone formation, such as fluoride, synthetic steroids, and isoflavones. In addition to pharmacotherapy, patients should also enhance nutrition with a high-protein diet, calcium, and various vitamins. High protein is beneficial for the formation of bone matrix, and calcium supplementation can promote calcium balance. Milk, rich in protein and calcium, is an ideal treatment diet, and it is also advisable to take appropriate amounts of calcium tablets, vitamin D, and vitamin C.

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Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
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What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

The main symptom of osteoporosis is pain, including pain in the limbs, spine, and pelvic area. Sometimes, the pain may worsen during activities such as walking. Even light activities like climbing stairs, hiking, or even sneezing can cause fractures due to osteoporosis, leading to increased pain.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Does osteoporosis hurt?

The clinical manifestations of osteoporosis include three main points. The first is pain, thus osteoporosis will definitely cause pain. This pain may be localized or it may be widespread. The second is spinal deformation, which can result in forward bending of the spine, scoliosis, or even spinal shortening, which is a reduction in height. The third point is pathological fractures, which are characteristic of osteoporosis. These fractures occur due to insufficient bone strength caused by osteoporosis, and sometimes even low energy or minor external forces can cause fractures, such as pulling a door or being struck by a car door. Therefore, osteoporosis definitely involves pain, and pain is one of the main symptoms of osteoporosis.

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Written by Xie Yi Song
Orthopedics
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Can osteoporosis be cured?

We cannot generalize about this issue. For instance, osteoporosis caused by certain medications can be cured after stopping the medication and then undergoing treatment for osteoporosis. If the osteoporosis is caused by a certain disease, it can also be cured after the disease is treated. However, for some chronic long-term diseases that inherently cannot be cured, osteoporosis caused by these diseases is difficult to cure. Then there are many patients with primary osteoporosis who, after comprehensive treatment that includes supplements of calcium and vitamin D3 and regular use of anti-osteoporotic pain medications, can completely lose their symptoms after several years. When bone density tests are performed, these patients' bone density has moved out of the osteoporosis range. This can also be considered a clinical cure.

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Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
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Which department should I go to for osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis should be treated in the endocrinology department. First, let's understand what osteoporosis is. Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease characterized by decreased bone mass, destruction of bone microstructure, increased bone fragility, and susceptibility to fractures. Osteoporosis can generally be divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary osteoporosis is also known as postmenopausal osteoporosis and senile osteoporosis, and postmenopausal osteoporosis is the most common type, directly related to the lack of estrogen. Therefore, osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease and belongs to metabolic disorders, so it should be treated in the endocrinology department.

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Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
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What to do about osteoporosis pain?

After osteoporosis leads to pain, we first need to clarify which part of the body the pain is located, or what causes the pain. If the pain is solely due to osteoporosis, such as decreased bone density in the limbs causing soreness and weakness, it is appropriate to supplement with calcium and vitamin D while also enhancing exercise to alleviate the pain. If the pain is due to fractures caused by osteoporosis, such as vertebral compression fractures or rib fractures, the fractures should first be repositioned, immobilized, and stabilized. Additionally, medications that treat osteoporosis should be used, such as those that inhibit bone resorption and promote bone formation.