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 Lv Yao
Orthopedics
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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.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
1min 15sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis? Previously there were three categories, but the latest 2017 treatment guidelines have changed it to four categories: First, pain. This mainly manifests as pain in the lower back or pain throughout the bones of the body. Second, spinal deformation. Severe osteoporosis can cause a person to stoop and hunchback, and it can even lead to a decrease in a person's height and cause limited spinal mobility. Third, fractures. Fractures due to osteoporosis belong to the category of fragile fractures. These are fractures that can occur with very low energy or minor trauma. Common sites include the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, hip fractures, the distal radius and ulna, as well as the humerus and tibia, so sometimes, just a simple fall or being bumped by a door can result in a fracture. Fourth, impacts on psychological states and quality of life. Sometimes after developing osteoporosis, a person may experience fear, anxiety, depression, and loss of self-confidence, which directly leads to reduced contact with the outside world and a decline in the quality of independent living.

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Written by Tang Zhuo
Endocrinology
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What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease characterized by decreased bone mass, destruction of bone tissue microstructure, increased bone fragility, and susceptibility to fractures. Osteoporosis can be divided into primary and secondary types. Pain is the most common symptom of primary osteoporosis, commonly seen as back pain, with the pain spreading along the spine to both sides. The pain decreases when lying on the back or sitting, and increases when standing upright, bending backwards, or after long periods of sitting or standing. Additionally, osteoporosis can lead to a decrease in height, hunchback, and fractures are the most common and serious complications of osteoporosis.

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Written by Xie Yi Song
Orthopedics
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What to eat for osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is commonly seen in elderly people and mainly refers to a reduction in bone tissue per unit volume, which affects the structure and function of bones. To prevent and treat osteoporosis, it is important to supplement various nutritional elements in daily life, such as calcium, phosphorus, protein, fats, and vitamin D. So, what is good to eat for osteoporosis? Foods rich in calcium are recommended, including milk, milk powder, oysters, eggs, soybeans and soy products, pork bone soup, fish, shrimp, and dried scallops, and should be consumed more frequently. Additionally, foods like carrots, Chinese cabbage, celery, rapeseed, garlic sprouts, leeks, jujube, persimmons, and olives also contain a good amount of calcium and should be included in the diet. Supplementing vitamin D: Vitamin D, after being exposed to ultraviolet sunlight, is an essential substance that promotes the calcification of bones. Taking vitamin D can increase the intestinal absorption of calcium and help in its deposition in the bones, making them stronger. Therefore, patients with osteoporosis should regularly take vitamin D and frequently sunbathe.