Osteoporosis Treatment

Manage osteoporosis with a team of dedicated professionals

Osteoporosis is a bone disease where bones begin to lose mass, becoming porous and brittle. As a result, patients with osteoporosis are at greater risk for bone fractures and breaks. This is a serious, common condition that most often affects women. There is no cure for osteoporosis, meaning the only way to treat it is to manage the symptoms. Thankfully, there are several ways to live a safe, injury-free life even with osteoporosis.

At our facilities, we use sophisticated DXA technology to measure bone density. This test helps us to determine the severity of a patient’s osteoporosis and plan out the most effective, least invasive form of treatment.

Creating your Osteoporosis Care Plan

Bone density scanning is an important prerequisite for osteoporosis treatment. Depending on how severe your condition is, your treatment may be as minimal as dietary changes, or extensive enough to warrant hormone therapy. Below you will find an overview of various osteoporosis treatments and how they may fall into your treatment plan.

• Calcium-rich diet – This will likely be a component of any osteoporosis plan, but may be the only change you need to make if your condition is mild. Our bodies need calcium but does not produce, meaning most of the calcium we receive comes from food. If we are not consuming enough calcium, the body will start taking some from bone. As bone tissue is always regenerating, this is not normally an issue, but osteoporosis prevents new bone from growing, meaning a calcium-rich diet is important to prevent our body from absorbing too much bone.
• Exercise – Physical activity is a great way to keep bones strong. Though this is a great preventive treatment for osteoporosis, it can also play a role in your treatment if you already have the disease. Given your increased risk of injury with osteoporosis, it is important you discuss a suitable exercise plan with your doctor before jumping into a new routine.
• Medication – There are several osteoporosis medications available. Some of the most common are Boniva, Fosamax and Reclast. Side effects from these medications may include nausea and heartburn. For some patients, these medications may need to be administered directly to the bloodstream through an IV or yearly injection.
• Hormone therapy – Estrogen plays a role in bone strength and density. Increasing estrogen levels can help prevent osteoporosis from worsening This treatment is generally used as a last resort for particularly severe cases of osteoporosis as it can also increase a patient’s risk of blood clots and certain types of cancer. If used appropriately and carefully monitored, however, it can go a long way in preventing injuries.

Preventing Osteoporosis

If someone in your family has osteoporosis, you may have increased risk factors. There are numerous ways to prevent osteoporosis, including diet and exercise.

You can discuss your osteoporosis concerns with a knowledgeable orthopedist today. Contact us and start developing a prevention plan for yourself and your family.