The main symptoms of osteoporosis are back pain, decreased body height, tingling in the legs or hip pain or bone fractures after a fall or some physical effort.
Osteoporosis is bone loss and is common to occur in postmenopausal women, but it can also emerge in men over 65, or people with hyperthyroidism or tumors, or use corticosteroid remedies.
Also read: Osteoporosis: what is, symptoms, causes and treatment
tuasaude.com/osteoporose
In most cases, osteoporosis is a silent disease, causing no initial symptoms. This is why it is important to follow up with the orthopedist to prevent and treat osteoporosis, avoiding fractures.
Osteoporosis symptoms
The main symptoms of osteoporosis are:
1. Gingival retraction
Some studies try to relate osteoporosis to periodontal disease, taking into account some cases of gingival retraction.
In addition, another symptom that can accompany gingival retraction is increased dental sensitivity. See other symptoms of gingival retraction.
2. Decreased grip force
The grip force is the capacity and strength to hold or suspend objects with your hands.
Generally, the decrease or loss of this capacity may be related to the initial stages of osteoporosis due to the loss of bone mineral density.
3. Decreased body height
The decrease in body height occurs due to the weakening of the spine vertebrae, due to the decrease of bone density, leaving the spine vertebrais thinner and fragile.
This can cause compression fractures, resulting in a reduction in body height of about 2 to 3 cm.
4. Back pain
Back pain arises especially due to a fracture in one or more vertebrae, and it can be sudden, back -shaped back pain, which gets worse when walking, standing, coughing or sneezing, and improving the back or sitting.
Fractures on spinal vertebrae may arise spontaneously or by lesions or falls due to the loss of bone mass and greater fragility of the vertebrae.
5. Tingling in the legs
Tingling in the legs or numbness sensation may arise when some fracture of the lumbar spine vertebrae, called compression fracture.
This can cause pressure on the spinal cord or compression in the nerves near the affected vertebra, causing tingling or numbness.
6. Column deformity
Osteoporosis can also cause spinal deformity, such as kyphosis, also known as the ciphetic column or “hunchback”.
This deformity occurs due to the weakening of the vertebrae of the thoracic spine, which are thinner on the front, while the back of the vertebrae remains relatively intact, resulting in a curved posture forward.
7. Pain in the neck
Pain in the neck may arise when a compression fracture occurs in one or more cervical spine vertebrae.
When this happens may occur or pressure or pressure on the nerves or spinal cord, and the emergence of other symptoms, such as tingling, numbness or weakness in the arms or hands.
8. Hip pain
Osteoporosis can cause fractures in the head or neck of the femur, which is the longest bone of the body, which binds to the bones of the pelvis.
This causes hip pain, difficulty walking, moving the leg or standing, as well as symptoms such as swelling or bruising on site.
This type of fracture is more common in the elderly, being one of the most serious types of fracture caused by osteoporosis, as it may require surgery or bring complications such as osteonecrosis, for example, besides the loss of independence of the elderly. See how hip fracture surgery and recovery is performed.
9. Bone pain
Bone pain may arise due to bone fractures or microfractures in any part of the body, such as fist, feet or ribs, for example, due to the loss of bone mineral density.
Online symptom test
If you think it may have osteoporosis, select the symptoms you have in the following test to know your risk:
This test is a tool that should be used only as guidance. Therefore, it should not serve as a diagnosis or replace the consultation with the orthopedist.
Who has the highest risk
Osteoporosis is more common in the following situations:
- Postmenopausal women;
- Men over 65;
- Family history of osteoporosis;
- Hyperthyroidism;
- Low corporeal mass index (BMI);
- Low calcium intake in the diet;
- Smoking or consuming alcohol.
In addition, the use of corticosteroids for extended periods, over 3 months, or hormone treatment for breast or prostate cancer, may also increase the risk of osteoporosis.
Other diseases can also cause osteoporosis such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, multiple myeloma, inflammatory intestinal diseases or renal failure.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis of osteoporosis is made by the orthopedist through the evaluation of symptoms, age, health history, drug use, and bone densitometry examination. Learn how the bone densitometry exam is done.
Make an appointment with the orthopedist in the region closest to you:
In addition, the doctor may request blood tests to analyze the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the body, which are reduced in osteoporosis, and also to evaluate the amount of alkaline phosphatase enzyme, which may have high values.
What to do
If the person suspects osteoporosis, they should consult the orthopedist to perform the exams, confirm the diagnosis and have adequate guidance for treatment.
Generally, treatment for osteoporosis is done with biposphophone remedies such as alendronate, ibandronate or zoledronic acid, for example, as well as calcium, magnesium and vitamin D supplements to increase bone density.
Also read: 6 main remedies to treat osteoporosis
tuasaude.com/remedio-para-osteoporose
In addition, a rich diet in calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium should be diet to help strengthen bones. See what feed should be for osteoporosis.
If the person has a bone fracture, one should immediately go to the emergency room to perform treatment that involves immobilization of the affected part, surgery in some cases, and also rest for the body to recover the fracture.
Source: www.tuasaude.com