What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

Persons have early disease do not have any complains at all. You may feel perfectly alright. Some people may feel a dull ache in the back and in neck or even in other bones of the body.

Persons whose disease becomes severe, pains may increase, especially on activity and putting weight on that bone.

Some people might come to know of the osteoporosis only after they suffer from a fracture of the hip or back. Some may also develop a Stooped back due to multiple previous vertebral spine fractures

What causes osteoporosis?

Top 10 Causes of Osteoporosis

1. Personal history of fracture as an adult
2. History of fracture in first degree relative
3. Caucasian or Asian race
4. Old age
5. Female sex
6. Dementia
7. Poor general health
8. Cigarette smoking and Alcohol abuse
9. Estrogen deficiency (Hormonal Problems)
10. Early menopause
11. Bilateral ovariectomy
12. Impaired vision
13. Recurrent falls
14. Inadequate physical activity
15. Low calcium intake (lifelong)

How do I know I have Osteoporosis?

Evaluation of Osteoporosis is usually done by following methods

• Medical history is taken to know Age/ sex/ Any bone pains/ any previous fractures
• Physical examination is done in detail.
• X-rays most likely of Hip Bones, Wrist bones and Lower spine
• Bone density test by DEXA Scan (Dual Energy Xray Absorptiometry): It is done to measure the mineral density of various bones like hip, wrist bones and lumbar spine. The results are interpreted by T- scores in which we compare patients bone mineral density to healthy young adults and thus decide severity of Osteoporosis.
• Laboratory tests (Bone Markers)

Treatment for Osteoporosis

“PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE”

Fractures caused due to Osteoporosis may take a long time to heal and can even lead to a permanent disability. So it makes sense to treat osteoporosis before the bones break. Adopting a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise and avoiding smoking and alcohol abuse are also considered as Prevention. With Plenty of sunlight available in tropical country like India, adequate Vitamin D can be synthesized by body itself.

Regular dietary intake of calcium rich foods and adequate exposure to sunlight are extremely important.

Certain Medicines like Bisphosphonates, Calcitonin, Teriparatide are used in treatment of Osteoporosis.

What is Calcitonin?

Calcitonin is a medicine that slows the breaking down of bone and relieves bone pain. It is available as a nasal spray to be taken daily.

What is Hormone replacement therapy?

These are medicines given in form of hormones especially to women after menopause. These are used less commonly now due to their high rates of side effects.

What is Parathyroid Hormone?

Teriparatide is a newer mode of treatment of Severe Osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who are at high risk for fractures.

The medicine is given through daily injections taken by patient himself underneath the skin.

How common is Hip Fracture due to Osteoporosis?

Hip fracture is very common in elderly above the age of 60 years in men and in women alike. It is due to weakening of the bone of the hip due to osteoporosis, after a trivial injury causes a Fracture of the bone of hip causing Hip bone fractures.

These may be Transcapital, Transcervical or Intertrochanteric fractures of hip.

What is the treatment of a Hip Fracture?

A person with a hip fracture almost always needs to undergo a surgery for its treatment. It may be in form of fixation of fracture with plates and screws or more likely a HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY. Patients who do not undergo surgery may have a complication rate like Non union, Mal-union, Bed sores, Clots in Veins (DVT), Pulmonary Embolism etc.