How to treat osteoporosis?

Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
Updated on September 05, 2024
00:00
00:00

To address osteoporosis, it's crucial to determine whether it's primary or secondary in origin. For primary osteoporosis, it is advisable to appropriately supplement with calcium and vitamin D to facilitate bone formation and engage in suitable exercise to strengthen the bones. If the osteoporosis is severe, adding medications that promote bone formation and inhibit bone loss can aid in treatment. If a fracture occurs due to osteoporosis, it is first necessary to reposition and stabilize the fracture, while also using medications to prevent further osteoporosis. Osteoporosis caused by long-term immobilization after a fracture can be managed by increasing physical activity, which helps restore blood flow around the fractured area and prevent such osteoporosis.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xie Yi Song
Orthopedics
51sec home-news-image

Can people with osteoporosis eat vinegar?

Although vinegar is acidic, the human body has a strong fluid buffering system, so as long as it is not consumed in excess, there is no need to worry that vinegar will disrupt the body's acid-base balance. There is also no evidence to suggest that osteoporosis patients cannot consume vinegar. Osteoporosis patients can consume vinegar normally as long as they do not have contraindications like gastrointestinal ulcers. Similarly, the external use of vinegar will not affect the body's acid-base balance, nor will it lead to osteoporosis. Vinegar, as a food or medicine, not only does not cause osteoporosis, but moderate amounts can also promote the absorption and utilization of calcium. This is because vinegar reacts chemically with calcium in food, forming calcium acetate, which is soluble in water and easily absorbed by the human body.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
1min 20sec home-news-image

Osteoporosis nursing measures

Osteoporosis is commonly seen in postmenopausal women, elderly patients with degenerative diseases, and patients with disuse osteoporosis caused by long-term immobilization due to fractures, with the first two groups having the highest incidence rates. When osteoporosis occurs, it is essential first to provide psychological guidance to the patients, encouraging them not to be afraid and to face their condition correctly. This disease can be prevented and its progression delayed. Similarly, guiding patients to engage in appropriate exercises, such as walking slowly and practicing Tai Chi, can help increase bone strength. It is also necessary to advise patients to appropriately supplement with calcium and vitamin D, as osteoporosis primarily involves the loss of inorganic bone salts, particularly calcium and phosphate ions. Adequate supplementation of calcium and vitamin D can prevent some cases of osteoporosis. If osteoporosis is severe, it may be necessary to provide medications that promote bone formation and inhibit bone resorption for symptomatic treatment. Additionally, the diet should include foods rich in calcium to enhance the care of patients with osteoporosis from these various aspects.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xie Yi Song
Orthopedics
1min 36sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
37sec home-news-image

What is lacking in osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis refers to a systemic bone disease characterized by an imbalance in the mineral content within bone structures, such as calcium and phosphorus, as well as the bone matrix, such as collagen, leading to decreased bone hardness and damage to the bone's microstructure. This structural change results in increased brittleness, thereby raising the risk of fractures. It is primarily caused by a disruption in the normal proportional relationship between inorganic salts and the bone matrix, generally due to the loss of inorganic salts like calcium and phosphorus.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
52sec home-news-image

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.