What is the best treatment for osteoporosis of the spine?
Bisphosphonates are usually the first choice for osteoporosis treatment. These include: Alendronate (Fosamax), a weekly pill. Risedronate (Actonel), a weekly or monthly pill.
Can osteoporosis of the spine be reversed?
The short answer is no, osteoporosis cannot be completely reversed and is not considered curable, but there are a number of health and lifestyle adjustments you can make to improve bone loss. Your provider may also prescribe you medications to help rebuild and slow down bone loss.
How can I strengthen my spine with osteoporosis?
Examples include walking, dancing, low-impact aerobics, elliptical training machines, stair climbing and gardening. These types of exercise work directly on the bones in your legs, hips and lower spine to slow mineral loss.
What happens when you have osteoporosis in your spine?
When osteoporosis has made your bones weak, the chances are higher that they’ll crack or break, even the bones of your spine. These spine fractures, also called vertebral compression fractures, can cause severe back pain that makes it hard to stand, walk, sit, or lift objects.
Is osteoporosis of the spine serious?
The bones that make up your spine (vertebrae) can weaken to the point that they crumple and collapse, which may result in back pain, lost height and a hunched posture. Bone fractures, particularly in the spine or hip, are the most serious complications of osteoporosis.
What does osteoporosis in spine feel like?
In serious cases of spinal osteoporosis, the nervous system is affected and you may experience numbness, tingling, or weakness. If you have severe kyphosis, you may also experience difficulty walking and problems with balance, which means you are at increased risk of falling and breaking other bones, such as the hips.
Is walking good for osteoporosis of the spine?
As counterintuitive as it may seem, certain types of exercise can actually help prevent and manage osteoporosis. Low-impact weight-bearing exercises (such as walking) help build bones and keep them strong, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF).
How long can you live with osteoporosis of the spine?
The average life expectancy of osteoporosis patients is in excess of 15 years in women younger than 75 years and in men younger than 60 years, highlighting the importance of developing tools for long-term management.
Can you live 20 years with osteoporosis?
But “you can live with osteoporosis for a long, long time and never have complications such as fractures — if you take certain precautions,” says Felicia Cosman, MD, osteoporosis expert and medical director of the clinical research center at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, N.Y.
What is the once a year injection for osteoporosis?
When zoledronic acid injection is used to treat osteoporosis in women who have undergone menopause, or in men, or to treat or prevent osteoporosis in people who are taking glucocorticoids, it is usually given once a year.
What is the best and safest treatment for osteoporosis?
Red clover. Red clover is thought to contain estrogen-like compounds.…
What is the treatment for severe osteoporosis?
– Teriparatide (Bonsity, Forteo). This powerful drug is similar to parathyroid hormone and stimulates new bone growth. – Abaloparatide (Tymlos) is another drug similar to parathyroid hormone. This drug can be taken for only two years. – Romosozumab (Evenity). This is the newest bone-building medication to treat osteoporosis.
How do you treat osteoporosis?
— E.R. ANSWER: Osteopenia, now more commonly called low bone density, is a precursor to osteoporosis, which is a condition of abnormally weak bones. Everyone with osteoporosis or even low bone density should get counseling on diet, including calcium intake; vitamin D supplementation; exercise; and smoking cessation for smokers.
What is it like to live with osteoporosis?
Inactivity