Stage 4. In this stage, your osteoporosis is very severe. Your risk of fractures is higher than in stage three, and you may actually have symptoms. The severe bone loss in stage 4 leads to changes in your spine, such as a stooped posture,and loss of height.
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 fourth stage of osteopenia and osteoporosis
Without any intervention, osteoporosis can progress to stage four. During this stage the effects of significant bone loss become visible. Softening of the bones and accumulated fragility fractures, especially in the spine, results in deformity.
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. A hip fracture is extremely painful and severely debilitating – even more so for a person with osteoporosis.
Bone fractures, particularly in the spine or hip, are the most serious complications of osteoporosis. Hip fractures often are caused by a fall and can result in disability and even an increased risk of death within the first year after the injury. In some cases, spinal fractures can occur even if you haven't fallen.
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.
Bone-building medications
If you have severe osteoporosis or if the more common treatments for osteoporosis don't work well enough, your doctor might suggest trying: Teriparatide (Bonsity, Forteo). This powerful drug is similar to parathyroid hormone and stimulates new bone growth.
In addition to managing your osteoporosis, it's important to avoid activities that may cause a fracture. Such activities include movements that involve twisting your spine, like swinging a golf club, or bending forward from the waist, like sit ups and toe touches.
The mean residual life expectancy of a 50-year-old man beginning osteoporosis treatment can be estimated at 18.2 years and the residual life expectancy of a 75-year-old man beginning treatment estimat- ed at 7.5 years. The corresponding estimates in women are 26.4 years and 13.5 years.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines osteoporosis as a bone mineral density (BMD) of 2.5 standard deviations below that of a young adults (T-score of −2.5 or lower). Severe osteoporosis is differentiated from osteoporosis by the presence of one or more fragility fractures in addition to this T-score.
Without appropriate treatment, osteoporosis can worsen. As bones get thinner and weaker, the risk of fracture increases. Symptoms of severe osteoporosis can include a fracture from a fall or even from a strong sneeze or cough. They can also include back or neck pain, or loss of height.
A loss of height, a stooped posture, back or neck pain, and bone fractures are often the most common symptoms of later-stage osteoporosis. If you have any of these symptoms, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor.
Medicines to treat osteoporosis can help prevent future fractures. Spine bones that have already collapsed can't be made stronger. Osteoporosis can cause a person to become disabled from weakened bones.
A T score of -1 to -2.5 indicates osteopenia (low bone density). A T score of -2.5 or lower is bone density low enough to be categorized as osteoporosis.
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.
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.
The Chance of Dying From Bone Disease. While the chance of dying varies by fracture type, the vast majority of individuals suffering from osteoporosis and osteoporotic-related fractures do not die directly as a result of their disease.
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. How should you walk and how often? You should walk briskly on a regular basis.
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. They also provide cardiovascular benefits, which boost heart and circulatory system health.
Following a fracture, bones tend to heal within six to eight weeks but pain and other physical problems, such as pain and tiredness or fatigue, may continue. Here, the people we interviewed talk about what it is like to live with pain, what triggers it and what they do to help ease the pain.
Bisphosphonates are usually the first choice for osteoporosis treatment. These include: Alendronate (Fosamax), a weekly pill. Risedronate (Actonel), a weekly or monthly pill.
If you have stronger pain, you can try codeine, dihydrocodeine and Tramadol. These can also be combined with paracetamol, such as Co-codamol, Co-dydramol and Tramacet. Co-codamol combines paracetamol and codeine and comes in different strengths. Your doctor can help you decide which dose is suitable to treat your pain.
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes your bones to be weak and more likely to break. Organs affected by osteoporosis include the ovaries and thyroid gland.