what is the best treatment for severe osteopenia

Explore

• Eat a balanced diet with plenty of vitamin D
• Limit alcohol intake
• Exercise regularly with weight-bearing exercises (lifting weights, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs)

Is there a natural way to treat osteopenia?

Nutrients to focus on

• Calcium. This mineral is an important component of bone tissue.
• Vitamin D. This is your body’s companion vitamin to calcium. ...
• Protein. You need protein to maintain healthy tissues, including muscle tissue. ...
• Vitamin C. Some studies have shown Vitamin C to benefit bone mineral density following menopause. ...
• Magnesium. ...
• Vitamin K. ...
• Zinc. ...

What kind of diet is good for osteopenia?

What is the best and safest natural treatment for osteoporosis?

• Red clover. Red clover is thought to contain estrogen-like compounds. …
• Soy. …
• Black cohosh. …
• Horsetail. …
• Acupuncture. …
• Tai chi. …
• Melatonin. …
• Traditional treatment options.

What is the best and safest treatment for osteoporosis?

• Rest from painful activities
• Strengthening, especially eccentric exercises
• Stretching
• Cold or heat therapy (applying cold-packs or hot-packs)
• Anti-inflammatory medication , though patients are advised to use these medications judiciously, because they can be detrimental to the production of collagen, an essential component of tendon tissue.

More items...

Is PRP effective in treating osteopenia?

See more

What is the latest treatment for osteopenia?

Currently, the only drugs approved for osteopenia (osteoporosis prevention) are Actonel and Evista. Other medications, however, may be considered based on an individuals particular circumstances.

What does severe osteopenia mean?

Osteopenia is a condition that begins as you lose bone mass and your bones get weaker. This happens when the inside of your bones become brittle from a loss of calcium. It's very common as you age. Total bone mass peaks around age 35. People who have osteopenia are at a higher risk of having osteoporosis.

What happens if osteopenia gets worse?

People who have osteopenia have a lower BMD than normal, but it's not a disease. However, having osteopenia does increase your chances of developing osteoporosis. This bone disease causes fractures, stooped posture, and can lead to severe pain and loss of height. You can take action to prevent osteopenia.

At what point should osteopenia be treated?

Drug treatment should then be considered in patients having osteoporosis and in patients with osteopenia when FRAX indicates a 10-year fracture probability of at least 3% for hip or at least 20% for major fractures [9].

How long does it take for osteopenia to turn into osteoporosis?

Of patients with osteopenia, 23.7% progressed to osteoporosis; median progression time was >8.5 years. Progression time was >8.2 years in “low-risk" tertile (T score between −1.1 and −1.6 SD), >8.5 years in “middle-risk" (between −1.6 and −2), and 3.2 years in “high-risk" (from −2 to −2.4) (p<0.0001).

Does osteopenia make you feel tired?

You might have side effects such as digestive problems and bone and joint pain. They might also make you feel tired.

Should I take Prolia for osteopenia?

Is Prolia used for osteopenia or arthritis? Prolia isn't approved to treat osteopenia or arthritis. With osteopenia, your bone mineral density (BMD) is lower than usual. (BMD is a measurement of the amount of minerals such as calcium in your bones.)

What is the best calcium to take for osteopenia?

The two most commonly used calcium products are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Calcium carbonate supplements dissolve better in an acid environment, so they should be taken with a meal. Calcium citrate supplements can be taken any time because they do not need acid to dissolve.

Does osteopenia hurt?

Osteopenia does not cause pain unless a bone is broken (fractured). Interestingly, fractures in patients with osteopenia do not always cause pain. Osteopenia or osteoporosis can be present for many years prior to diagnosis for these reasons.

Which is better Fosamax or Prolia?

Fosamax (alendronate) is a first-choice treatment for osteoporosis, but taking it can be a hassle. Prevents bone loss. Prolia (Denosumab) is an effective and convenient treatment for osteoporosis if other options haven't worked or aren't appropriate for you.

Should osteopenia be treated with drugs?

Unlike osteoporosis osteopenia does not need drug treatments.

How often should you have a bone density scan if you have osteopenia?

If initial bone density testing shows you have a T-score of -2.00 to -2.49 at any site, or if you take medications that decrease bone density, or have medical conditions that can adversely affect the bones, experts recommend repeat bone density testing every two years.

How to prevent osteopenia?

If you already smoke or drink a lot of alcohol or caffeine, stop — especially if you’re younger than age 35, when you can still build bone.

What foods can you eat to help with osteopenia?

To get calcium and vitamin D, eat nonfat and low-fat dairy products, such as cheese, milk, and yogurt. Some types of orange juice, breads, and cereals are fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Other foods with calcium include: dried beans. broccoli.

What is the BMD of osteopenia?

Your bone density peaks when you’re about 35 years old. Bone mineral density (BMD) is the measurement of how much bone mineral is in your bones. Your BMD estimates the chances of breaking a bone from a normal activity.

Why do women lose bone mass after menopause?

After your bone mass peaks, your body breaks down old bone faster than it builds new bone. That means you lose some bone density. Women lose bone more quickly after menopause, due to lower estrogen levels.

How to strengthen bones in premenopausal women?

Osteopenia exercises . If you have osteopenia, are a young adult, and are a premenopausal female, walking, jumping, or running at least 30 minutes on most days will strengthen your bones. These are all examples of weight-bearing exercises, which means you do them with your feet touching the ground.

Why do women lose bone?

Women lose bone more quickly after menopause, due to lower estrogen levels. If you lose too much, your bone mass may drop low enough to be considered osteopenia. About half of Americans older than age 50 get osteopenia. The more of these risk factors you have, the higher your risk is:

Does biking help build bones?

While swimming and biking may help your heart and build muscles, they don’t build bones. Even small increases in BMD can significantly reduce your risk for fractures later in life. However, as you get older, it becomes much harder for you to build bone.

What is the best treatment for osteopenia?

Other medications for osteopenia include Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMS) and denosumab. SERMS are used in post-menopausal women to disrupt estrogen activity, which prevents further bone loss. Denosumab medications are typically used for people who have cancer.

Who is the best doctor for osteopenia?

Depending on the severity of the condition, your age, sex, and lifestyle habits, our rheumatologist, Dr. Maria Farooq, will help you to create a treatment plan that suits you, supports strong bones, and minimizes your symptoms.

How does bisphosphonate help with osteopenia?

Because osteopenia is caused by a rapid loss of bone that surpasses the generation of bone, bisphosphonates are effective measures for preventing osteopenia or slowing down its progression.

What age is osteopenia most likely to occur?

The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) says that women over the age of 65, men over the over of 70, women who are post-menopausal, people who have fractured or injured a bone after the age of 50, and people who have rheumatoid arthritis are at a higher risk of being affected by osteopenia.

What is the term for a lack of mineral density in the bones?

Osteopenia is a condition that describes a lack of mineral density in the bones. ‘Osteo’ means “related to bones”, and ‘penia’, means “to lack or have a deficiency”. This condition is essentially the preliminary form of osteoporosis and indicates low bone mineral density (BMD)—the total bone mineral composition of a person’s bones.

How many people have osteopenia?

About 18 million Americans have osteopenia, but more than 200 million people are estimated to have osteoporosis —and many people don’t even know it! (Both osteopenia and osteoporosis don’t necessarily show symptoms until they experience bone fractures or breaks. More than half of these injuries are painless, and go unnoticed!)

What happens when you have osteopenia?

When osteopenia is present, the body is absorbing bone matter quicker than it’s generating new bone matter. Rapid or irregular absorption of bone matter causes weak, brittle, thinning bones that are prone to fractures, breaks, and injuries.

What does osteopenia mean?

Osteopenia means low bone density, but what exactly does this mean? It's easiest to understand osteopenia when we compare it to both normal bone density and osteoporosis (very low bone density).

What is the bone density test for osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones have become brittle and are more likely to break, even with mild injuries. A bone density test with osteoporosis gives a T-score of -2.5 or worse.

What is the difference between Boniva and Zometa?

Boniva (ibandronate): Boniva reduces the risk of spine fractures but not hip fractures. Zometa or Reclast (zoledronic acid): Given by injection, Zometa reduces the risk of both hip and spine fractures. Side effects of bisphosphonates vary based on whether they are used orally or by injection.

What is Forteo used for?

Forteo (teriparatide) is a man-made version of the body's natural parathyroid hormone and is usually used only for people with severe osteoporosis who are at a high risk of fractures. It is the only medication which can actually stimulate the body to grow new bone.

What is the T score for osteoporosis?

A bone density test with osteoporosis gives a T-score of -2.5 or worse. Having a bone density that is 2.5 deviations below the average means that your bone density is in the bottom 2% of someone your age. 1 . Osteopenia lies between these numbers, with a T-score of better than -2.5 but worse than -1.0.

How long do you have to stay upright with bisphosphonates?

With oral bisphosphonates, people are asked to take the medication with a full glass of water and remain upright for 30 to 60 minutes. These drugs may cause heartburn or esophageal irritation. Injectable medications may cause flu-like symptoms for a day or two after injection and may also cause muscle and joint pain.

Can osteoporosis cause fractures?

One major consideration is whether a person is expected to progress to having osteoporosis or is at an increased risk of suffering fractures as a result of other medical conditions. There are several medications which can be effective in reducing bone loss, but these all come with the risk of side effects as well.

How to increase bone density naturally?

7 ways to naturally increase bone density – osteopenia treatments from home. #1 Engage in regular weight-bearing exercise. Bone and muscle are a team, and they’re a use-or-lose proposition.

Which vitamin is more effective at building bone?

Some recent studies have even shown that one form of vitamin K, MK-7, is more effective at building bone than using bone drugs. #5 And get to know all of the 20 key bone building nutrients.

Is alkaline diet good for osteoporosis?

There’s recent research that shows just how important an alkaline diet is for those at risk for osteoporosis. #7 Stress less. Amazingly, stress is highly correlated with fracture risk and bone loss (and that’s above and beyond all the other health issues it causes).

Does vitamin D deficiency cause osteomalacia?

Vitamin D deficiency does not only cause weaker bones due to osteomalacia , but also severe myopathy with loss of muscle strength, selective loss of the rapid type-2 fibres, dyscoordination and consequently increased propensity for falls [41].

Is osteoporotic fracture more severe than stroke?

Osteoporotic fracture is considered a far less severe event than stroke , although the increase in mortality and morbidity after spine or hip fractures is significant [2, 3]. Second, pharmaco-economic considerations also play a role.

Do osteoporotic fractures occur in osteopenic patients?

As mentioned in the introduction, the vast majority of osteoporotic fractures take place in osteopenic patients without prevalent fractures. Many aspects of osteoporosis and fracture risk are clinically recognizable (such as age, gender, and body weight), even before a first fracture has occurred.

What are the risks of osteopenia?

Other factors that may raise your risk for osteopenia include: 1 eating disorders or other issues that prevent the body from absorbing a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins 2 exposure to radiation therapy or chemotherapy 3 a family history of osteoporosis 4 excessive consumption of alcohol 5 use of certain medications, such as steroids

Is it too soon to prescribe alternative medicine for osteopenia?

Due to the limited research, it's too soon to recommend alternative medicine for osteopenia. It's also important to note that self-treating a condition and avoiding or delaying standard care may have serious consequences.

Does green tea help bone density?

Green Tea. Consumption of green tea might improve bone mineral density by stimulating activity in bone-forming cells and inhibiting activity in bone-weakening cells, according to a report published in 2009.

Is osteopenia a bone condition?

Osteopenia is a condition marked by low bone mass. Although people with osteopenia have less dense bones than normal, the condition is not as severe as osteoporosis. However, people with osteopenia are at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis if their condition is left untreated.

What is the best treatment for osteoporosis?

Bisphosphonates are usually the first choice for osteoporosis treatment. These include: 1 Alendronate (Fosamax), a weekly pill 2 Risedronate (Actonel), a weekly or monthly pill 3 Ibandronate (Boniva), a monthly pill or quarterly intravenous (IV) infusion 4 Zoledronic acid (Reclast), an annual IV infusion

Which osteoporosis medication is usually tried first?

Which osteoporosis medications are usually tried first? Bisphosphonates are usually the first choice for osteoporosis treatment. These include: Alendronate (Fosamax), a weekly pill. Risedronate (Actonel), a weekly or monthly pill. Ibandronate (Boniva), a monthly pill or quarterly intravenous (IV) infusion.

What is the condition of bisphosphonates and denosumab?

A very rare complication of bisphosphonates and denosumab is a break or crack in the middle of the thighbone. This injury, known as atypical femoral fracture, can cause pain in the thigh or groin that begins subtly and may gradually worsen.

How does osteoporosis medication work?

Because bone rebuilding cannot keep pace, bones deteriorate and become weaker. Most osteoporosis medications work by reducing the rate at which your bones break down. Some work by speeding up the bone-building process. Either mechanism strengthens bone and reduces your risk of fractures.

How long can you take bisphosphonate?

These bone-building drugs can be taken for only one or two years and the benefits begin disappearing quickly after you stop. To protect the bone that's been built up, you'll need to start taking a bone-stabilizing medication such as a bisphosphonate.

Does Raloxifene help with bone density?

Current recommendations say to use the lowest dose of hormones for the shortest period of time. Raloxifene (Evista) mimics estrogen's beneficial effects on bone density in post menopausal women, without some of the risks associated with estrogen. Taking this drug can reduce the risk of some types of breast cancer.

Can you take bisphosphonate with water?

Bisphosphonate pills aren't absorbed well by the stomach. It may help to take the medication with a tall glass of water on an empty stomach. Don't put anything else into your stomach for 30 to 60 minutes, after which you can eat, drink other liquids and take other medications.

What does it mean when you have osteopenia?

Osteopenia means that your bone density measurement is less, but not excessively less, than a woman who is 30 years old. And what that really signifies for you will depend on your individual body type, lifestyle, history and many factors you can take control of right now.

How to build strong bones?

5 natural steps to build stronger bones 1 Eat a wholesome alkaline diet and try high quality nutritional supplementation. Be sure the supplements you use are designed to alkalize so they spare both bone and muscle. 2 Make sure your mineral intake is adequate. This can be easily done by measuring your first morning urine pH. A first morning urine pH reading of 6.5 to 7.5 suggests you’re obtaining adequate minerals from your diet and supplements. 3 Test your vitamin D level and supplement with enough to reach a 50 to 60 ng blood level all year round.

How to build bone in your body?

1. Get the correct amount of key bone building nutrients. Eat a wholesome alkaline diet and try high quality nutritional supplementation. Be sure the supplements you use are designed to alkalize so they spare both bone and muscle. Make sure your mineral intake is adequate.

Does low muscle mass mean low bone density?

Chronically low muscle mass is associated with low bone mass. Even stronger grip strength and stronger back muscles are associated with higher bone density. If you have been told you have osteopenia in the hip, try to walk more, hop, do heel drops, and jump if you can. All provide bone-stimulating impact to the hip.

Treatment

Diagnosis

Overview

Results

Side effects

Adverse effects

Mechanism of action

Risks

Medical uses

Prevention

• Whether or not you choose to use medications for osteopenia, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of fractures. From making sure your stairs are free of clutter to staying off of ladders, there are a number of simple ways you can reduce your chance of a fall. Getting adequate calcium and vitamin D is important as well. Many people get am...

See more on verywellhealth.com