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Osteoporosis Treatment and Prevention Information
Buy Low Drugs can make it affordable to purchase osteoporosis treatment medications that can ease your pain. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become weak and brittle. If left unchecked, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks (fracture). Any bone can be affected, but of special concern are fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist.
Treatment options include the following:
1. Nutrition:
Eat a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. Consider decreasing your intake of caffeinated beverages and alcohol. Calcium is abundant in:
- Dairy products
- Green leafy vegetables
- Canned fish with bones
- Calcium-fortified products
2. Smoking:
Do not smoke. If you smoke, quit.
3. Exercise:
Exercise improves bone health and increases muscle strength, coordination, and balance. Maximum benefits are gained from doing weight-bearing exercises, including strength-training exercises. Balance training may help prevent falls and fractures.
4. Dietary Supplements:
People who cannot consume enough calcium from food might want to consider calcium supplements. Other vitamins and minerals may be recommended, including vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K, and potassium. Talk to your doctor or dietitian before you begin taking dietary supplements.
5. Medications:
These include medications to prevent bone loss, increase bone density, and reduce the risk of spine and hip fractures.
Raloxifene (Evista): one of a class of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) that appears to prevent bone loss of the hip, spine, and total body. It is approved for both prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Bisphosphonates (alendronate [Fosamax]; risedronate [Actonel]): reduce bone loss, increase bone density, and reduce the risk of spine and hip fractures
Calcitonin: slows bone loss, increases spinal bone density, and may relieve pain from bone fractures
Fluoride: low doses of monofluorophosphate to decrease pain and fractures in the spine
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Although HRT (including estrogen replacement therapy, or ERT) may cut the risk of osteoporosis in half, it’s important to note that recent research shows a strong association between longer-term ERT or HRT use and a significantly increased risk of invasive breast cancer, strokes, heart attacks, and blood clots. Be sure to discuss all of the health risks and benefits of hormone therapy with your doctor to determine if it is right for you.
HRT therapy may include:
- Estrogen alone (also referred to as Estrogen Replacement Therapy or ERT)
- Estrogen and Progestin - estrogen combined with progestin (frequently preferred for women with an intact uterus because ERT slightly increases the risk of uterine cancer)
- Foods containing soy - may improve bone mass because they contain plant estrogens
HRT can:
- Reduce bone loss
- Increase bone density
- Reduce the risk of hip and spinal fractures in postmenopausal women
Safety Measures:
Because falls can increase the likelihood of fracture in someone with osteoporosis, the following measures are recommended:
- Use a cane or walker for added stability.
- Wear rubber soled shoes for traction.
- Use plastic or carpet runners when possible.
- Keep rooms free of clutter.
- Install grab bars in bathrooms.
Prevention:
Building strong bones throughout the early years is the best defense against osteoporosis. There are four steps to prevent osteoporosis, none of which is likely to be effective by itself.
- A balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D
- Weight-bearing exercise
- Healthful lifestyle (no smoking and moderate alcohol)
- Bone density testing and medications where appropriate:
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