What should I do about osteoporosis?

Written by Zhao Xin Lan
Endocrinology
Updated on January 25, 2025
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Once osteoporosis is diagnosed, the first step is to change lifestyle habits. For example, if someone likes to drink strong tea and coffee and dislikes exercise, these unhealthy habits should be changed. Additionally, it's beneficial to get more sun exposure, and to supplement the treatment with calcium and vitamin D. Then, it is necessary to visit the hospital and consult a specialized clinic for osteoporosis or the department of metabolic endocrinology for targeted medical intervention, to prevent the condition from worsening and avoid fractures.

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Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
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What to eat for osteoporosis

Osteoporosis refers to decreased bone density and bone mass, which increases the fragility of bones and can lead to fractures and other systemic skeletal diseases. It commonly occurs in postmenopausal women or arises due to degenerative changes in the elderly. To prevent osteoporosis, one can start with dietary adjustments by increasing the intake of calcium-rich foods such as milk, shrimp crackers, kelp, and legumes. It is also important to engage in appropriate physical activities to enhance bone strength, thereby helping to prevent the exacerbation of osteoporosis. However, merely supplementing with calcium might not be very effective; it is also appropriate to supplement with Vitamin D. If adding calcium alone does not alleviate the symptoms, it might be necessary to use medications that reduce the loss of calcium to prevent and treat osteoporosis.

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Written by Xie Yi Song
Orthopedics
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How is osteoporosis treated?

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 Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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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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Written by Xie Yi Song
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.

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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.