Can Osteoporosis and Back Pain be Prevented?
Osteoporosis is a disease that can be treated naturally and inexpensively at home. It’s even better if you prevent it from happening in the first place. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes a loss of bone density (strength). This loss of bone strength leads to fractures of the spinal bones, wrist and hips. A trauma such as a fall is usually needed for someone with osteoporosis to break a wrist or hip. Unfortunately, fractures of the backbones (vertebrae) can happen when lifting a bag of groceries, stepping off a curb, or even spontaneously for no known reason. This disease occurs most often in women after menopause, but it can also develop in men. The major problem with osteoporosis and back pain is the risk of fractures, which will have a negative effect on quality of life, and even on life expectancy. Symptoms of OsteoporosisUnfortunately you may not feel pain until the problem has progressed to an unhealthy point. Osteoporosis and back pain is common, but also common is a sudden collapse of a back bone which can cause severe back pain for weeks or months.Multiple fractures of back vertebrae cause a hunched over posture, loss of height, and chronic back pain. If a fracture occurs in your hip, surgery is usually needed right away to try to prevent serious risks of a broken hip, such as a blood clot, which can cause death. Because fractures can cause so much trouble in a person with osteoporosis, it is important to prevent falls from occurring. To do this, remove any obstacles or loose carpets in your living area, and make sure your vision is not impaired by having yearly eye exams. Another thing that can cause falls is a drop in blood pressure when you get up from sitting or lying down. Regular visits with your medical doctor should prevent this problem from developing. Risk factors for Osteoporosis and Back PainRisk factors for osteoporosis and back pain include some things you can change and other things you have no control over.Factors you can’t control are:• Age-as you get older your chance of developing osteoporosis increases • Sex-women are five times more likely to develop osteoporosis • Family History of osteoporosis-there seems to be a higher incidence if others in your family have had the disease. Factors you can change are:• Exercise-Weight bearing exercises like walking, jogging, tennis, golf, basketball, aerobics, stair climbing, weight lifting, and most other sports that require running, increases bone mass and strength. You need to do these kinds of exercises regularly as a child and young adult in order to have the strongest bones possible before you become an adult.Adults will usually loose bone mass and strength a little each year throughout the rest of their life.Continuing physical activity throughout adulthood will help maintain bone mass and hopefully prevent osteoporosis and back pain.• Diet-A diet low in calcium, protein, and vitamins C and K during childhood and teenage years, is associated with weak bones when you get older. Most people need at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day. Of course it’s best if you can get your calcium naturally in food. Foods high in calcium include milk, low-fat milk, yogurt, low-fat yogurt, spinach, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, cottage cheese, broccoli , swiss chard, kale, rhubarb, romaine lettuce, fennel, asparagus, brussel sprouts, garlic, green beans, tofu, mozzarella cheese, blackstrap molasses, and salmon. • Calcium – Calcium helps build strong bones, that’s why postmenopausal women need 1,200 milligrams calcium and at least 400 IU to 600 IU vitamin D daily for strong bones. I would much rather see you get your daily calcium from the foods listed above than through a supplement. Calcium supplements can be tricky. Some types of calcium supplements need to be taken with food or they won’t be absorbed well by your body (calcium carbonate.) Also, calcium carbonate can cause stomach upset and constipation. If you take magnesium with calcium carbonate these problems will be less. Another problem with calcium carbonate is that many medications taken for acid reflux (GERD) or peptic ulcers interfere with absorption. Calcium citrate is a type of calcium supplement that can be taken without food. You should not take more than 500 milligrams at a time or your body won’t absorb it. Calcium citrate has less calcium per pill than calcium carbonate so you will have to take more pills per day. Calcium citrate is not good to take if you suffer from acid stomach. • Vitamin D- Helps the body absorb calcium. Foods that contain vitamin D include eggs, salmon, shrimp, cod, and vitamin-D fortified milk. Sunlight is a great source of vitamin-D. You may think that a healthy choice is to stay out of the sun. The problem is you need some sunlight on your skin to produce enough vitamin D to prevent bone loss. This problem of not enough sunlight can be especially hard for the elderly and bedridden; populations who may have difficulty getting outdoors for 15-30 minutes each day. The amount of vitamin-D you need varies with age from about 200 international units a day in children and young adults, to 400-600 units a day if you’re over age 50. • Weight-Being underweight (under the ideal weight range for your height) is a risk factor for developing osteoporoses. Not carrying a healthy weight for your frame size doesn’t stress your bones enough to keep them strong. • Alcohol-Long term heavy drinking is associated with osteoporosis. Too much alcohol interferes with your body’s ability to absorb calcium and vitamin D. • Medication-There are many medications that increase the risk of osteoporosis and back pain. The most notorious are steroids such as prednisone. I know quite a few individuals who have become severely hunched over with a hump in their back as a result of long term steroid use. Whenever you are prescribed any medication, make sure to read about the possible side effects. If osteoporosis is one of them, make sure you are doing everything else you can to keep your bones strong. Osteoporosis and back pain is easier to prevent than to correct once you already have it. If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, which may require a bone density screening, ask your doctor what type of exercise program would be safe for you. Sometimes estrogen replacement therapy and other prescribed medications are recommended for advanced osteoporosis and back pain. If this is the case for you, try doing as many of the above recommendations above as you can in order to be on the lowest dose possible of prescription medication.
To Your Best Health, Dr. Cliff
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