Spine Specialty
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis Treatment in Columbia, SC
What is Osteoporosis?
The word for “porous bone” is “osteoporosis.” It is a sickness that makes bones weaker, and if you have it, you are more likely to break a bone without good reason. When you have osteoporosis, your bones have less mass and strength.
Most of the time, the disease develops without any signs or pain, and it is usually not found until the bones become so weak that they break and hurt. Most of these are broken hips, wrists, or backs.
Osteoporosis Symptoms
In the early stages of bone loss, there are often no signs. But once osteoporosis has made your bones weak, you might notice signs and symptoms like:
- If a spine is broken or falls out of place, it can cause back pain
- Height loss over time
- A hunched-over stance
- A bone that breaks much easier than thought
The Spine Physicians, Pain Management Team, and Physical Therapy Staff at Midlands Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery will work together to provide a personalized approach to treat your osteoporosis pain and symptoms.
What Causes Osteoporosis?
Researchers know how osteoporosis happens, even though they don’t know the exact reason why it happens. Your bones are made of flesh that is alive and grows. A good bone looks like a sponge on the inside. The hard bone forms a shell around the soft bone.
When a person has osteoporosis, the “holes” in the “sponge” get bigger and more frequent. This makes the inside of the bone weaker. Bones give the body structure and protect the body’s functions. Calcium and other minerals are also stored in the bones.
Osteoporosis Treatment
Treatment suggestions are often based on how likely it is that you will break a bone in the next 10 years. This is done by using information from tests like the bone density test. If your risk isn’t very high, you might not need to take any medicine. Instead, your treatment might focus on changing things that put you at risk for bone loss and falls.
Treatments for this condition include:
- Medications
- Lifestyle changes
- Fall prevention
- Limit alcohol and don’t smoke
How Do You Prevent Osteoporosis?
You can avoid osteoporosis by making changes to your diet and the way you live. Postmenopausal women are also less likely to get osteoporosis if they get hormone treatment to make up for the estrogen they’ve lost.
To keep your bones strong and healthy throughout your life, you need to consume a lot of calcium. There are 300 milligrams of calcium in one cup of skim or 1% milk. Vitamin D is also important because it helps the body absorb calcium.
Keeping a healthy lifestyle can slow down the loss of bone. Begin a daily exercise program. The best way to build your bones is to do exercises that make your muscles work against gravity, like walking, jogging, aerobics, and lifting weights.
- Do not drink too much alcohol
- Do not have too much caffeine
- Don’t ever smoke
Osteoporosis Care in South Carolina
At Midlands Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery, the doctors and physical therapists will make sure you get the best care so you can feel better as soon as possible. Please call 803-256-4107 to make an appointment if you are experiencing osteoporosis symptoms.