How is osteoporosis treated?

Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
Updated on September 25, 2024
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Osteoporosis refers to a decline in bone density and quality, increasing brittleness and potentially leading to systemic skeletal diseases. Once osteoporosis occurs, it is crucial to appropriately supplement inorganic salts that promote bone formation, as the structure composed of inorganic salts and collagen in the bones changes. Dietary intake should be enhanced with foods rich in calcium, and it is equally important to supplement with Vitamin D, as the absorption of calcium is facilitated by Vitamin D. Therefore, not only should calcium be supplemented, but also Vitamin D should be appropriately added. Alongside supplementing calcium and Vitamin D, proper exercise is important, as increased physical activity can help strengthen the bones. If these measures do not alleviate the condition, it may be necessary to investigate whether the issue stems from an obstruction in bone formation or from a problem with bone loss. Determining the cause of osteoporosis in this way, there are also medications available that can alleviate bone loss and promote bone formation, allowing for targeted treatment.

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What department should I go to for osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease characterized by reduced bone mass and destruction of bone microstructure, leading to increased bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures. It can be divided into primary and secondary types based on the cause. Secondary osteoporosis has a clear primary cause, often due to endocrine metabolic diseases such as gonadal insufficiency, hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, type 1 diabetes, or systemic diseases. Primary osteoporosis is commonly seen in postmenopausal osteoporosis and senile osteoporosis. Therefore, it is recommended to consult an endocrinology or orthopedics department for osteoporosis.

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Which department should I go to for osteoporosis?

What department should I go to for osteoporosis? According to the latest osteoporosis treatment guidelines, osteoporosis is classified as a chronic, frequently occurring disease in orthopedics. Generally, hospitals rated Grade IIIA or above have specialized clinics for osteoporosis. Therefore, if you suspect you have osteoporosis, you can first visit the orthopedics department. If there is a specialized osteoporosis clinic, you can go there directly. Both departments can treat this disease, but the specialized osteoporosis clinic is relatively more professional.

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What are the massage techniques for osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is not suitable for massage because if the force is not controlled properly, it can cause fractures. This is due to the fact that fragile bones have a very low stress tolerance, and sometimes even a small external force can cause fractures. Moreover, the spine is the most common site of fractures. If massage is necessary, then only gentle techniques should be used, such as light kneading, pressing, or rolling. Do not apply heavy pressure or manipulate joints, and certainly do not perform bone-setting on others unnecessarily, as this can easily cause fragile fractures, resulting in more harm than good and bringing trouble. Therefore, it is generally best to avoid massages for those with osteoporosis.

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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.

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Osteoporosis detection methods

Osteoporosis is a systemic special disease characterized by low bone mass and damaged bone microarchitecture, which leads to increased bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures. This is the standard set by the World Health Organization in 2017. However, currently in clinical practice, there is no direct method available to measure bone hardness. Therefore, an indirect method is used, which is the measurement of bone density. There are many methods to measure bone density, among which the gold standard is Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). Other methods include single photon, single energy X-ray, Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT), peripheral quantitative CT, and quantitative ultrasound testing.