Table of contents:
- Treatment options for osteopenia
- 1. Take medicine
- 2. Diet and supplements
- 3. Sports
- 4. Stop smoking and reduce alcohol
As you get older, the bones will decrease in density. If bone density has decreased dramatically, your doctor may suspect osteopenia as the cause. So before it's too late to become porous, what treatment options can patients make to treat osteopenia? Come on, see the following reviews.
Treatment options for osteopenia
Osteopenia is an abnormal decrease in bone density. As a result, bone strength decreases and the risk of fracture is greater. This condition can be referred to as the transition of healthy bones to osteoporosis.
This condition does not cause any symptoms so it can only be known through a bone density test, that is dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).So that osteopenia does not get worse and increases the risk of osteoporosis, patients need to get treatment, such as:
1. Take medicine
Osteopenia can be treated with osteoporosis drugs. However, it must be drunk on a doctor's prescription. The reason is, not all osteoporosis drugs are allowed for osteopenia patients. In addition, doctor supervision also helps avoid overuse of drugs.
Well, some drugs that are usually used to nourish bones again, include:
- Bisphosphonates. These drugs work by slowing down the rate at which bone density decreases so that the risk of fractures decreases. This drug is available in tablet or injection form.
- Teriparatide. This drug works like a hormone made by the parathyroid glands to help bone growth.
- Raloxifene.This drug is used to prevent and treat osteoporosis. This osteopenia treatment is only available in pill form and patients need to take it every day.
2. Diet and supplements
Curing osteopenia does not only depend on drugs. Patients can also improve bone health by meeting the intake of vitamin D and calcium.
The two of them work together to keep bones healthy. Without vitamin D, calcium will not be absorbed optimally by the body. If the patient is deficient in intake of both, osteopenia will get worse.
Apart from the sun, vitamin D is also present in food. Some foods that contain vitamin D and calcium include milk, dairy products, mushrooms, fish and eggs.
If you are not getting enough from food, your doctor will recommend vitamin D and calcium supplements as a treatment for osteopenia.
3. Sports
Source: Arthritis Health
Even if your bones are reduced in density, you can still exercise. Exercise can keep weight under control and this is important for osteopenia patients. The reason is, excessive body weight makes the bones work harder.
In addition, an overweight body can also reduce the balance of the body, making it easy for a person to fall. Of course this is very risky with osteopenia patients who are at greater risk of fracture.
For osteopenia treatment, tai chi is one type of exercise that is recommended. According to a study in the journal Osteopros International, osteopenia patients who follow tai chi exercises and drink green tea regularly experience improvements in their bone health.
4. Stop smoking and reduce alcohol
Treatment will be effective if the patient maintains his lifestyle. Patients need to reduce the habit of drinking excessive alcohol and stop smoking.
Drinking too much alcohol can cause calcium levels to be imbalanced. As a result, bone health will be disturbed. Likewise with smoking which can hinder the healing process of injured bones.
