Over the years, changes in bone tissue, including the spine, of an irreversible nature begin to occur in the human body. Bone density decreases, they become more and more brittle and brittle. This condition is called senile osteoporosis. This disease is found in the elderly. In women, the manifestations of a pathological condition can be observed a little earlier - during menopause. What is senile osteoporosis and what treatment is used, we will analyze in the article.
Disease definition
Senile osteoporosis (according to ICD-10 code M81) is a disease of human bones of a systemic nature, in which their density decreases. This condition increases the likelihood of fractures.
Bone strength depends on the amount of calcium, vitamin D, and various minerals that enter the body. The normal functioning of the endocrine glands also plays a large role in this. But with age, calcium begins to gradually wash out, metabolism slows down, which leads to senile osteoporosis (code according to ICD-10 M81).
Causes of occurrence
The main causes of senile osteoporosis are a lack of minerals and vitamins in the human body, as well as an increase in the recovery period of bone tissue. The following factors can provoke these conditions:
- Age-related violation of the absorption of vitamin D, the lack of which leads to a deficiency of calcium in the body.
- Hormonal disorders in which the production of hormones involved in preventing the destruction of bone tissue is reduced.
- The increased activity of osteoclasts, which leads to the destruction of bones.
- Inadequate production of calcitonin, which prevents the destruction and fragility of bones.
- Increased parathyroid hormone production, resulting in poor absorption of calcium.
- Slowing bone regeneration.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
- The presence of chronic diseases.
- Pathology of the hematopoietic system.
- Renal failure.
- Living in areas with an environmentally disadvantaged environment.
- Improper nutrition.
- Unhealthy Lifestyle.
- Hereditary predisposition.
Secondary senile osteoporosis can cause long-term use of certain categories of drugs. These include:
- Lithium-containing medications.
- Anticoagulants.
- Some antibiotics.
- Drugs for the fight against cancer.
- Some hormonal drugs.
Symptomatology
Senile osteoporosis (code MKD-10 M81) is dangerous because in the early stages it has practically no pronounced symptoms, since calcium is washed out of the body gradually. Patients, as a rule, see a doctor in those cases when signs of the disease already become noticeable or bone fractures occur without the influence of significant loads. Consider the most pronounced signs of a pathological condition:
- Deformation of the thoracic spine.
- Decrease in growth of the elderly person to 10-15 cm.
- The appearance of a stoop.
- Increased muscle tone of the back.
- Back pain, which increases with walking or even slight exertion.
- Gait change.
- The appearance of early gray hair.
- Frequent bone fractures.
- Fragility of nails, hair loss.
- It becomes difficult for the patient to lie or sit for a long time.
Diagnostics
When contacting a doctor, the patient is sent for examination, in which the main diagnostic measure is radiography. With this procedure, a specialist takes X-ray photographs of the pelvis in a direct projection and side pictures of the spine. In this case, you can find the following:
- Compression fractures.
- Reducing the length of the spine.
- Wedge-shaped destruction.
- Vertebral subsidence.
After the introduction of a special contrast agent, it is possible to detect old fractures.
The densinometry procedure is also used, with the help of which bone density is determined and the content of minerals, hormones and enzymes necessary for its metabolism is measured.
In addition to the above diagnostic methods , an MRI or CT procedure and other tests can be used to exclude concomitant diseases (for example, blood, urine, ECG and others).
In order to timely identify the development of the pathological process, after reaching 50 years, you need to systematically visit a doctor and undergo a comprehensive examination.
Treatment
Pathological processes in bone tissue are slow, but irreversible. Therefore, senile osteoporosis in men and women is easier to prevent than to treat. But if the disease progresses, complex treatment will be required to reduce bone loss and prevent fractures. Consider the main directions of therapy for this disease.
Drug therapy. Medicines should be prescribed only by the attending physician, taking into account contraindications and side effects. In most cases, the following categories of drugs are prescribed:
- Containing substances that are involved in metabolic processes occurring in the bones. Such drugs include Osteoquin, Osteogenon, and drugs containing calcium and vitamin D3.
- Reduces bone resorption. These include estrogens (Raloxifene), biophosphonates (Osteomax), and calcitonin (Oster).
- Drugs that stimulate bone formation. These include drugs that contain parathyroid hormone ("Teripramid") or fluoride salts.
The following categories of drugs are used as symptomatic treatment:
- Painkillers prescribed for back pain or after fractures.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Ibuprofen.
- Medicines to relieve muscle clamps and release nerves trapped in the spine.
- Anabolics - "Silabolin".
Diet therapy. Compliance with the diet, according to patients and doctors, with senile osteoporosis plays a big role not only for its treatment, but also for prevention. Experts recommend consuming more foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. These include:
- Cottage cheese.
- The eggs.
- Dried fruits.
- Buckwheat.
- Kefir.
- Legumes
- Greens and others.
It is recommended to exclude or limit the use of the following products:
- Fat meat.
- Cocoa.
- Coffee.
- Sugar.
- Confectionery fats.
- Alcohol.
- High fat sauces and others.
Performing gentle exercises, including therapeutic walking. Sunbathing is also important.
With senile osteoporosis, symptoms and treatment are largely interconnected, since therapeutic measures are aimed at relieving symptomatic manifestations and preventing further progression of the disease.
Alternative methods of treatment
Folk medicine has proven itself as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of senile osteoporosis. According to doctors, they are aimed at enriching the body with calcium and restoring hormonal balance. But it should be remembered that the use of alternative recipes should begin only after consultation with your doctor.
Consider the most common (judging by the reviews of patients) recipes of traditional medicine.
- Dissolve a piece of mummy the size of a match head in a small amount of water and consume 20 minutes before meals 2 times a day. The course of treatment is 20 days.
- Tea made from dandelion. 1 tbsp. l Dried plant pour 1 cup boiling water and insist for half an hour. Consume during the day.
- Green smoothies containing 60% fruits and 40% greens. Grind in a blender. The proportions are allowed to change a little.
Complications
Senile osteoporosis can lead to serious consequences that can be life threatening. Consider the most common of them:
- Rachiocampsis. As a result, even insignificant loads can lead to compression fractures, which affects the normal functioning of the patient’s internal organs.
- Hip fracture. In this case, the patient is not able to recover, especially in old age, becomes disabled and is not able to serve himself. In some cases, such a fracture is fatal.
- Dizziness, weakness, and lack of air may also occur.
Preventive actions
To prevent the development of the disease, especially if there is a hereditary factor, it is necessary to take care of the condition of your bones from a young age. To do this, you must follow a series of recommendations, which we consider below:
- Proper nutrition rich in calcium.
- Full relaxation and sleep.
- Rejection of bad habits.
- Maintaining weight within normal limits.
- Timely treatment of diseases.
- Normalization of physical activity.
- For women, a systematic visit to a gynecologist is very important, especially in anticipation of menopause.
Forecast
With timely diagnosis of the disease and the implementation of all the recommendations of the attending physician, the prognosis is more positive, the risk of complications in this case is minimal.
For older people, the development of senile osteoporosis is inevitable. But by performing systematic examinations and preventive measures, it is possible to significantly reduce the negative consequences and complications to eliminate disability. In the reviews and comments, patients do not recommend self-medication, since only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis based on the results of the examination.