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Bone Density Treatment

When bone density starts to thin and become brittle, this condition is called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis starts to develop when low calcium levels and other minerals cause your bones to become fragile. Low bone mineral density can cause fractures mostly in the hips, wrists and spine. Fortunately, there are proactive treatments to avoid or reverse low bone density.

  1. Symptoms

    • The early onset of osteoporosis may show no symptoms. Later you may feel a dull pain in your neck or lower back. As the disease worsens, you may start feeling sudden, sharp jolts of pain. Putting weight on the affected areas can increase pain. A fracture in your spine can happen without a fall or trauma to the back as the vertebrae become brittle. Compression fractures in the spine can cause a stooped posture called a "dowager's hump."

    Diagnosis

    • A screening test called a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measures bone mineral density in your hip, spine and wrist. The procedure is quick and painless and gives accurate results. Other bone density tests may include an ultrasound or CT scan.

    Medications

    • Hormone therapy may be prescribed for the treatment of osteoporosis as estrogen can slow or stop bone loss. Estrogen can be taken in pill form or as a skin patch such as Estraderm. Some women should not take hormone supplements if they are at an increased risk for certain cancers. If a woman cannot or chooses not to take hormone supplements, medications such as Evista or Boniva offer an alternative to stop or reverse bone loss. A drug called Reclast is given intravenously once a year at your doctor's office or orally once a day, week or month. Because of severe stomach upset caused by the medication, the annual injections may be preferred. Calcium supplements with vitamin D also help restore bone mass and prevent its loss in the first place. A daily dose of 1200 to 1500mg is recommended.

    Diet and Exercise

    • People of all ages, but especially young people, should be encouraged to increase calcium in their diets. Drinking milk and calcium-enriched orange juice and eating foods high in calcium such as cheese and salmon can help fight bone loss. Perform weight-bearing exercises such as walking, aerobics, bicycling or jogging. Discuss any new exercise program with your doctor first.

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