What to do with osteoporosis?

Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
Updated on September 26, 2024
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When osteoporosis occurs, it is first important to determine the cause of the osteoporosis, whether it's due to postmenopausal women, overuse injuries, or osteoporosis caused by long periods of immobilization following trauma. If such osteoporosis occurs, it is advisable to appropriately supplement with calcium and vitamin D, especially for postmenopausal women and elderly individuals affected by degenerative changes. These supplements can be taken orally, and appropriate physical exercise can be incorporated to increase bone strength and achieve recovery. In cases of disuse osteoporosis, appropriate functional exercises should be performed to allow for active muscle contractions and slight weight-bearing by the bones, which promotes circulation around the bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

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Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
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Can osteoporosis be treated with moxibustion?

Osteoporosis can manifest as pain in the lumbar and back areas, as well as in the joints. Moxibustion, with its effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, reducing swelling, and relieving pain, can alleviate these symptoms. However, to thoroughly treat osteoporosis, a causative treatment is necessary, which means taking oral medications specifically for osteoporosis, such as bisphosphonates, estrogen modulators, and calcitonin. These are some of the common medications used. Also, it is important to supplement with calcium and vitamin D, and get plenty of sunlight. Only then can osteoporosis be thoroughly cured through causative treatment. While moxibustion is effective, it does not solve the fundamental issue and is just one of the methods to relieve symptoms.

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Written by Xie Yi Song
Orthopedics
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What to do if osteoporosis causes leg pain?

To alleviate leg pain caused by osteoporosis, it is important to pay attention to a reasonable diet and regular exercise. Maintaining a balanced diet to ensure sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D is crucial, with options such as high-calcium, low-fat fresh milk, cheese, cow milk, and dark green vegetables being the best choices. Based on the imbalance of yin and yang in the body, regularly taking kidney-nourishing products can to a certain extent stabilize and enhance the level of human sex hormones, indirectly inhibiting the bone-resorbing activity of osteoclasts. Smoking should be avoided, excessive drinking should be prevented, and timely prevention of systemic metabolic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and gout is essential. Elderly individuals with leg pain should persist with gradual and progressive exercise, such as swimming, practicing health exercises, Tai Chi, and walking. These activities not only can alleviate the loss of bone mass but also significantly increase the content of bone salts and promote the activity of bone cells. However, engaging in intense physical activities, especially those that cause excessive muscle soreness, should be avoided. If continual leg pain is experienced, it is advisable to visit a hospital for examination to determine if it is caused by osteoporosis.

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Endocrinology
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Causes of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is primarily characterized by a reduction in bone mass, deterioration of bone tissue microstructure, and increased bone fragility, leading to an increased risk of fractures. It is a metabolic bone disease. Some cases are primary, also referred to as postmenopausal osteoporosis, which generally lacks specific causes and is mainly linked to estrogen deficiency. There is also a category known as secondary osteoporosis, which has a variety of causes, primarily secondary to metabolic endocrine disorders such as hyperparathyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, diabetes, and growth hormone deficiency. Additionally, some hematologic disorders, such as leukemia and lymphoma, can lead to osteoporosis. There are also some less common or rare diseases like osteogenesis imperfecta and scurvy that can cause osteoporosis. Furthermore, long-term use of certain medications, such as corticosteroids and anticonvulsants, can lead to osteoporosis. Kidney diseases, such as chronic renal failure and renal tubular acidosis, can also cause 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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Orthopedics
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How to check for osteoporosis?

How is osteoporosis diagnosed? There are several methods currently used for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. One method is X-ray examination, which usually only detects severe cases of osteoporosis and also depends on the amount of radiation used, making it seldom used in clinical settings. Another method is ultrasound testing, referred to as ultrasound bone density testing. It typically examines areas like the heel or the wrist. However, ultrasound bone density can have significant inaccuracies, so it is used more as a screening tool rather than for precise diagnosis. The third method is a bone density scanner. This is currently the simplest and most effective method to diagnose osteoporosis. It involves measuring the Relative Vertebral Density (RVD), where a normal value of 1 indicates that the vertebral body density is higher than that of the intervertebral disc. An RVD value of 0 indicates that the vertebral body density is the same as the intervertebral disc density, which signifies osteoporosis. If the RVD is less than 0, it shows that the vertebral body density is less than that of the intervertebral disc, pointing to severe osteoporosis. The bone density scanning method is very straightforward. The patient simply places a foot or arm inside the machine, and the computer quickly provides the bone density measurement, which is more accurate and cost-effective compared to other diagnostic methods.