It's unlikely you need a medication. If your osteoporosis is caused by another condition or medication, often treating the underlying condition is enough to improve your bone strength. There are some circumstances where further test and treatment are the best course of action.
Bone fractures in patients with weak or brittle bones can be life-threatening and very costly. Many patients (between 20 to 40 percent) with osteoporosis who fracture their hip end up dying.
Natural treatment of osteoporosis can include exercise, dietary changes, quitting smoking, and lowering alcohol caffeine intake. Supplementation of vitamin D and exposure to sunlight can also improve bone health. Such lifestyle changes may reduce the risk of osteoporosis and promote bone health and overall good health.
They include walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, playing tennis, yoga and dancing. Resistance exercises – such as lifting weights – can also strengthen bones.”
Bone loss begins to occur at an approximate rate of 0.25% a year and is variable depending on many genetic and environmental factors. This may be considered the second stage towards osteopenia and/or osteoporosis. It is important to understand that this is a perfectly normal part of the aging process.
Many people can live well with osteoporosis and avoid breaking bones in the first place. But if you have had fractures, it's important to learn about the steps you can take to maintain a good quality of life.
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.
Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and climbing stairs, can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss.
Bisphosphonates are usually the first choice for osteoporosis treatment. These include: Alendronate (Fosamax), a weekly pill. Risedronate (Actonel), a weekly or monthly pill.
Fractures Prevented Vastly Outnumber Serious Side Effects
Depending on the body part (whether it's the spine or the hip or another bone in the body), taking an osteoporosis medication will reduce the chances of fracture anywhere from 50 to 70 percent — a substantial reduction in risk, says Khosla.
Severe (established) osteoporosis is defined as having a bone density that is more than 2.5 SD below the young adult mean with one or more past fractures due to osteoporosis.
“The risk of second fracture is higher without osteoporosis medications,” Cromer said. “Also, a hip fracture can be deadly, with approximately 20-30 percent of people dying within a year after a hip fracture, and studies show that some medications for osteoporosis can even lower this risk of death.”
Just 30 minutes of exercise each day can help strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises, such as yoga, tai chi, and even walking, help the body resist gravity and stimulate bone cells to grow. Strength-training builds muscles which also increases bone strength.
Activities such as jumping, running or jogging can lead to fractures in weakened bones. Avoid jerky, rapid movements in general. Choose exercises with slow, controlled movements.
Romosozumab (Evenity).
This is the newest bone-building medication to treat osteoporosis. It is given as an injection every month at your doctor's office and is limited to one year of treatment.
You can reverse the loss of bone density with medical therapies that may slow, maintain, or even increase your bone density. Your doctor may recommend taking certain medications to prevent or treat bone loss, and some may even help you rebuild bone density.
Vitamin D supplementation may decrease bone turnover and increase bone mineral density. Several randomized placebo-controlled trials with vitamin D and calcium showed a significant decrease in fracture incidence. However, very high doses of vitamin D once per year may have adverse effects.
You can prevent bone loss with regular exercise, such as walking. If you have osteoporosis or fragile bones, regular brisk walking can help to keep your bones strong and reduce the risk of a fracture in the future.
Women younger than 75 years and men under 60 years can expect to live at least 15 more years after beginning treatment for osteoporosis, according to a new observational study.
Mortality. One-year mortality was 16.0% in treated men (3.0% in background controls) and 6.6% in treated women (4.6% in background controls). The corresponding mortality at 5 years was 48.2% (24.6%) in men and 28.3% (31.9%) in women. At 10 years, mortality was 69.7% (45.4%) in men and 50.2% (50.8%) in women.
Osteoporosis is Serious
In addition to causing permanent pain, osteoporosis causes some patients to lose height. When osteoporosis affects vertebrae, or the bones of the spine, it often leads to a stooped or hunched posture. Osteoporosis may limit mobility, which often leads to feelings of isolation or depression.
A: A lot of things can be done to prevent further bone deterioration. In other words, it is is never too late to talk about osteoporosis treatment, recognition and prevention.