Osteopenia of the lumbar spine: what is it, treatment

The people who first heard an unfamiliar diagnosis, want to know what is osteopenia. The so-called disease that affects the human skeletal system. Basically when osteopenia is diagnosed with a very low mineral bone density. Patients have annually lost more than 3% of bone mass. In the result the bones lose strength and are subject to fractures. If you do not start timely treatment, the disease can develop into osteoporosis. Pathology can manifest in different parts of the spine, but is most common osteopenia of the lumbar spine.

Risk factors

Maximum weight and thickness of the skeletal system reaches 30 years of age. Then in the bones decreases the concentration of mineral elements and they gradually begin to thin. Therefore, osteopenia often develops in seniors, especially women. The thinner the dice, the higher the risk. The beginning of the disease is called the period, during which a crack appears.

Accelerate the development of degenerative processes the following factors:

• Genetic predisposition;
• Transplantation of internal organs;
• Lung disease;
• Bowel disease;
• A long hunger strike and diet;
• Lack of exercise;
• Hormonal disorders;
• Chronic inflammatory diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis);
• Receive antispasmodics, corticosteroids and immunosuppressants;
• Improper diet (especially vitamin D deficiency);
• Calcium deficiency;
• A course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy;
• The abuse of alcohol and carbonated drinks;
• Smoking.

In men decreases the density of the fabric with enhanced physical activity, insufficient testosterone concentrations. In women, osteopenia is often found in pregnancy and menopause. More susceptible to the disease people belonging to the Caucasian race. The representatives of the Negroid and Mongoloid races osteopenia of the spine is found very rarely, due to the thicker spines.

• Interesting to read: can the back pain from bowel disease

The symptoms of the disease

Osteopenia for several years can in no way Express themselves. So basically find it only after serious bone damage: cracks or fractures.

In osteopenia bone and the vertebrae lose strength and become very brittle, from-for what often there are fractures. Quite often they happen when you fall, hard physical exertion, lifting of heavy objects.

Very often it happens in patients with hip fracture. It requires long-term and complex treatment, and long-lasting home treatment. About 20% of patients dying during the year after injury. The cause of death to be blood clots that are formed due to long immobilization. Usually pronounced signs are apparent only when a significant destruction of the vertebrae:

• Pain in the spine;
• Numbness and heaviness in the legs;
• Difficulty in walking;
• Fever.

Diagnosis

In case of suspected osteopenia patient sent for x-rays. The most accurate result to provide a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (abbreviated as DEXA) and densitometry. Then compares the bone density of the patient with standard indicators taken as a unit and determine the amount of variation. If this figure is less than 2.5, then the doctor makes a diagnosis of "osteopenia of the spine". When you deviate above 2.5 are diagnosed with osteoporosis.

How to defeat the disease?

Complete cure of the pathology is impossible due to the irreversibility of the processes. Treatment of osteopenia of the lumbar spine aims to stop the process of thinning of the bones and prevent the risk of osteoporosis.

Diet

A major role in the treatment of osteopenia plays a special diet that contain high amounts of vitamin D and calcium. Patients are advised:

• Limit salt intake as it actively destroys the calcium;
• Coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, carbonated beverages to replace the herbal teas;
• To limit the consumption of meat, butter, margarine, mayonnaise – adverseaffect the absorption of calcium;
• To increase the consumption of buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, hard cheeses, milk, fruits, almonds, sesame seeds, leafy vegetables, greens;
• Often eat seafood, celery, beans – they are rich in zinc, required by the body in higher doses in diseases;
• Consume cereals and vegetables – they are rich in magnesium, contributing to the increase of bone density;
• Eat liver – it has b vitamins;
• Drink several glasses of fresh juice (Apple, carrot, cucumber, tomato, beet, spinach) – they provide cells and tissues with vitamins and minerals.

You should eat little and often (5-6 times a day).

A healthy lifestyle

Great result in the fight with osteopenia of the spine is able to provide physical activities (swimming, dancing, gymnastics, Jogging, Hiking) and sun. They normalize metabolism and promote the synthesis of vitamin D. But don't overdo it. Excessive load can worsen the patient's condition and cause fractures. Will have to forget about Smoking and alcoholic drinks at least until you recover.

Medication

Drugs against osteopenia does not exist. Most often doctors ascribe:

• Bisphosphonates – slow bone destruction and preserve mineral density, prevent osteoporosis;
• Calcitonin – a hormone that helps prevent fractures;
• Steroid medications;
• Parathyroid hormones – promote bone formation;
• Hormone treatment stops the destruction of bone, but causes a huge number of side effects, including risk of blood clots in the lungs and the formation of thrombosis (and therefore use them very rarely).

• See also: Rehabilitation after a spinal fracture.

To prevent the development of osteopenia of the spine will help balanced diet, exercise, avoiding alcohol and Smoking.