Various types of bone diseases. Osteoporosis - destruction of bone tissue, causes, symptoms and treatment of the disease

By reading this article, you will learn about some of the most common and rare bone diseases that children and adults can get.

Bones are an integral part of the anatomy of the skeletal system of the human body. While the muscular system of a newborn has about 300 bones at birth, 206 bones of varying shapes and sizes make up the adult human skeleton. Some of the bones are dense and hard, while some are light and porous. Bones and cartilage (fibrous connective tissue) make up the rigid internal framework of the body. Muscles, ligaments and tendons are other anatomical organs that support bones and play a vital role in helping us move. Minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, as well as the protein collagen, are important for maintaining healthy bones. A deficiency of these minerals, or collagen, can lead to bone diseases. In this article, we will look at the different types of bone diseases.

Types of bone diseases

Bone diseases can have many causes. While some people may be born with bone disease as a result of gene mutations or inborn errors of metabolism, some people may acquire degenerative bone diseases during their lifetime. Below is some information about common and rare bone diseases.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by the gradual loss of bone mineral density. Calcified bone tissue has the ability to regenerate. However, as we age, bone mineralization is impaired. This leads to the development of cavities in the bones, making them brittle and brittle. People who have been diagnosed with osteopenia, a condition characterized by a decrease in normal bone density, have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. In the case of people who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, even a minor injury can cause a bone to develop a crack or fracture.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is another common bone disease. This is a common form of arthritis that is characterized by joint degeneration due to breakdown of cartilage. Cartilage refers to the connective tissue that covers the ends of bones and acts as a protective covering. As this tissue wears down with age, the bones begin to rub against each other. Friction between bones leads to inflammation, and can lead to the development of bone spurs called bone spurs. Joint pain, stiffness and decreased mobility in the affected joint are some of the symptoms of this disease.

Rickets

While minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are essential for bone health, vitamin D also appears on the list of nutrients that are essential for optimal bone health. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a childhood bone disease called rickets. Rickets is a bone disease associated with improper bone mineralization due to vitamin D deficiency or poor absorption of vitamin D in the intestines. Softening of the bones is a characteristic symptom of this disorder and hence people with this disease become susceptible to fractures. The bone can easily bend or break. In addition, muscle and bone pain may occur. This metabolic disorder can also occur in adults. In the case of adults, this metabolic bone disease is called osteomalacia.

Osteopetrosis

Also known as marble disease and Albers-Schoenberg disease, osteopetrosis is a rare disease that is characterized by hardening of the bones. It is an inherited disease and is believed to be caused by mutations in genes that are associated with the formation, development and function of specialized cells called osteoclasts. These cells play an important role in breaking down old bone tissue and facilitating the replacement of old bone tissue with new one. Thus, when osteoclasts are unable to perform their functions, new bone tissue grows on top of the old, thereby making the bones denser. Abnormal bone structure can make them susceptible to fractures.

Osteogenesis imperfecta

Also known as brittle bone disease, osteogenesis imperfecta refers to bone diseases that are caused by mutations in certain genes. Mutations affect how the body produces collagen. Those who suffer from this disease are very susceptible to fractures. Although there are eight forms of osteogenesis imperfecta, form II is considered the most severe. As mentioned earlier, mutations in certain genes cause problems in insufficient collagen production or cause defects in collagen structure.

Paget's disease

This is another bone disease that occurs as a result of abnormal functioning of the bone tissue. The incidence of Paget's disease in children is quite low; as a rule, this disease is diagnosed in adults. Bone enlargement or deformation may be a consequence of this disease. These misshapen bones cause pain. Typically, this disease affects the skull, spine, hip bones, collarbones, upper arm bone and bones in the pelvic area. It is believed that those who have a family history of people with this disease are at increased risk. This disease is usually caused by a viral infection, more often in those who have a genetic predisposition.

Bone cancer

Cancer is the abnormal and uncontrolled division of cells that leads to the development of a malignant tumor. Primary bone cancer refers to abnormal cell division in the tissues that make up bone. Osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma are two types of cancer that originate in the bone itself. Cancer may start in another part of the body and then spread to the bones. Bone pain, swelling, development of a tumor on the affected bone, bone aches are some of the symptoms of bone cancer.

In conclusion, it should be said that bone diseases can be congenital or acquired. They can also be caused by infections, metabolic disorders, or abnormal cell division. While the infection can be treated with drug therapy, a healthy diet can help prevent some diseases that occur as a result of nutritional deficiencies. Genetic bone diseases and bone cancer require more serious treatment.

Albinism affects 1 in 17,000 people and is a medical condition characterized by a lack of the pigment melanin, which gives color to the skin, eyes and hair. Let's find out more about this pathology, and...

In most cases, diseases of the joints and bones are associated with the presence of trauma or damage.

Classification of diseases

Each bone disease belongs to a specific group of diseases:

Diseases that have traumatic sources;
Inflammatory diseases;
Dysplastic diseases;
Diseases of a dystrophic nature;

Diseases that have traumatic sources include, first of all, cracks or fractures, with which people go to specialized medical institutions - emergency rooms. Most often, the reasons for each subsequent case of a fracture of the femur or other bones are accidental falls, failure to comply with safety precautions, or simply carelessness.

The bone tissues themselves are characterized by increased strength, but any of them can break if they cannot withstand the pressure that is periodically applied to it. This does not mean that the person has brittle bone disease, just that the bones could not withstand the load. Bone tissues can be either closed or open.

In addition to fractures, there are also cracks. The presence of cracks indicates that the bone withstood the overload, but a trace remained.

From fractures and cracks in the human body, deep and very complex changes can occur, which are caused by the breakdown of vital substances, such as tissue proteins or carbohydrates, as well as many others. Disorders of metabolic processes associated with bone tissue may also be noted.

One of the most dangerous and at the same time popular inflammatory diseases of bone tissue is a serious disease called osteomyelitis. This disease can manifest itself against the background of infections of the joints and bone tissue, penetrating into the bone through the bloodstream or from an external source, or from distant foci.

Various diseases related to dystrophic diseases are associated with malnutrition. This could be, for example, rickets.

Dysplastic diseases of bone problems are those diseases that develop based on violations of natural bone forms, which changes the structure of the skeleton.

Bone diseases

Many adults most often suffer from two types of bone diseases - osteoporosis and osteomalacia. Both diseases are associated with insufficient vitamin D in the body.

Osteomalacia is characterized by flexibility resulting in curvature. Most often, this disease can be observed in pregnant women. Osteoporosis refers to porosity or disease of the soft bones.

The main causes of insufficient vitamin D levels are:

Lack of sufficient absorption of this vitamin. This indicates that kidney function or intestinal function is impaired;
Unsuitable environmental conditions for living and normal development of the body;
Insufficient amount of ultraviolet radiation.

The most common and most common disease of the entire skeletal system is osteochondrosis - degeneration of cartilage and bone. The disease most often manifests itself in the vertebral discs.

Another widespread and well-known bone disease is called curvature of the spine, which affects the entire skeletal system as a whole. The disease can manifest itself in the form of kyphosis, scoliosis or lordosis.

Classification

Diseases of varying severity in different parts of the body are widespread today. Among the majority, the following can be noted:

Arthritis. This is an inflammatory disease that affects the joints. The disease may occur on its own or as a result of another disease. The main clinical manifestation is morning pain in the joint area, which gradually decreases and disappears after the start of movement;

Arthrosis is a whole group of different diseases that affects not just a bone or joint, but all components associated with it. These are cartilages, as well as adjacent bones, synovium, muscles and ligaments. The pain is felt somewhere deep in the joint, intensifies with any, even the most insignificant loads, and decreases with rest. The main cause of the disease is a change in the basic biological characteristics and properties;

Osteoarthritis most often appears in those joints that experience maximum stress. Most often this is a disease of the shin bones and knee joints (this disease is called gonarthrosis), as well as diseases of the femur, pelvic and hip bone diseases (this disease is called coxarthrosis). The shoulder and elbow joints are least commonly affected. But most often rheumatic diseases associated with bones occur.

The most popular of them is rheumatoid arthritis.

Paget's disease of bones. This disease is also known as acute dystrophy. Paget's disease is a chronic disease, and the main characteristic here is a violation of the structure of both one and several bones of the human skeleton. In most cases, these are diseases of the humerus, collarbone, skull, and lower leg. The disease most often affects the elderly, and women suffer from it two to three times less often than men. On the territory of the Russian Federation, this disease is quite rare, so the possibility of hereditary determination of the disease cannot be excluded. The disease can develop either independently or against the background of certain chronic viral infections. It occurs in two different forms - polyostotic and monossal. This is one of the key signs that sarcoma will soon form.

Myeloma bone disease is a disease that belongs to the classification of paraproteinemic leukemia. It occurs in the blood, but directly affects bone cancer. Most often, this disease occurs in older people, but there are also rare cases in which the disease can occur in people under 40 years of age.

Periostitis is an inflammation of the periosteum. It can be either infectious or aseptic and chronic, being a disease of the tibia and other bones. However, most often the disease spreads to the lower jaw.

11 main causes of disease

Today you can find many case reports of humerus fractures, as well as many others. There are many main reasons for the occurrence of bone diseases, but the most popular and most common are:

Repeated hypothermia;
Hereditary or genetic probability;
Constant physical overload;
Lack of loads;
Poor nutrition;
Various injuries;
Infectious or colds;
Muscle inflammation;
Lack of vitamins in the body;
Nervous overload;
Overweight.

Another cause of bone diseases in humans is infectious heart diseases, which can easily include endocarditis. The main symptom of the disease is pain in the bones and joints. Exactly the same pain can occur during inflammation in the liver area or with cirrhosis.

Gradually, with the increase in the number of years lived, the metabolism in the body slows down, which leads to the destruction of the joints and spine

Treatment of diseases

Diseases of bones and joints are treated with various complexes, which may consist of various treatment methods:

Medication. This method involves taking various drugs against certain diseases with bone pain. These drugs include creams, ointments, various painkillers, drugs that have a beneficial effect on blood circulation or relieve inflammation. It should be noted that these remedies are aimed only at superficial relief, so they will not help with diseases that destroy bones. In this way, you can get rid of the main pain symptoms for a while.

Physical training. For some bone diseases, an excellent way to cope with pain and improve your health is through sports and recreational physical education. You can do swimming, walking, stretching. It is important not to increase the permitted weight and not overload your body. Running, jumping or squatting is not recommended.

Nutrition. You need to eat a balanced and nutritious diet, but not excessively. It is important to completely eliminate alcohol and also limit your intake of sugar and salt. It is also important to eat foods rich in gelatin and calcium.

Mud therapy. This procedure helps improve blood circulation.

Massage. Therapeutic massage is one of the recommended procedures for the treatment of bone diseases. Massage helps improve tone and strengthen skin and muscle tissue.

Manual therapeutic procedures. This method promotes rapid restoration of tissues and joints. This method also improves blood circulation and relieves pain.

Physiotherapeutic treatment. This method activates metabolic processes in both bone and cartilage tissues. Physiotherapy procedures include laser therapy and other methods.

Acupuncture. Another professional method of treating ailments is acupuncture or pressure on certain points.

Ethnoscience. The variety of traditional medicine methods, proven by generations, in most cases is not aimed at treatment, but at reducing pain, swelling, removing salt deposits and toxins, as well as restoring the natural metabolic function.

Surgical operations. In fact, there are a lot of surgical techniques, ranging from restoration of infected areas to complete bone replacement. Surgical intervention is a last resort measure, used only when others have not given the desired effect.

All of the above methods for treating bone diseases are distinguished by the presence of individual contraindications. That is why it is necessary to first carry out an accurate diagnosis of the affected bones, joints and areas, and then consult with a qualified specialist.

How can diseases be treated using traditional medicine?

Recipe No. 1: Chamomile oil. Chamomile oil is best for treating paralysis, external curvature of the facial muscles, as well as cramps and bone pain. You need to fill one bottle of any small container with chamomile flowers (this is pharmaceutical chamomile), then fill them with oil and let it brew. This solution must be infused for at least 40 days in a tightly sealed container. From time to time it is necessary to shake the contents of the bottle. After 40 days have passed, it is necessary to infuse the contents of the bottle in a boiling water bath. This needs to be done for one hour. After this, it is enough to strain the solution and squeeze out the rest.

It is recommended to take the resulting traditional medicine three times a day, one teaspoon. Does this 1.5-2 hours after eating. A solution of chamomile oil can also be used for any colds, as well as pain or cramps in the stomach. Girls will benefit from taking chamomile oil if their menstrual cycle is delayed. When used externally, the oil helps to heal ulcers, is an excellent remedy for hemorrhoids, and also cures ear pain.

Recipe No. 2: Lavender. For bone pain, you can prepare another good, effective remedy. This is Lavender. To prepare it, you need to fill a container with red lavender flowers, add honey, and then let the resulting solution settle. You need to infuse the product for 6 months, stirring it from time to time. It is recommended to take the product three times a day, exactly one large spoon, and only before meals. The medicine will be useful for any poisoning with various toxic substances, as well as for melancholy, epilepsy, central nervous system disorders and other similar diseases.

Recipe No. 3: Soda foot baths. If the pain of spurs and bunions on your feet is very severe and often annoying, you need to take a soda bath. It must be taken twice in seven days. In order to complete the procedure, you need to pour 1-2 tablespoons of soda into 3 liters of distilled (optional) water, as well as about 10 drops of iodine. The temperature of the water in the selected container should be neither hot nor cold. The maximum permissible duration of one such procedure is no more than 10 minutes. Immediately after completing the procedure, it is important to thoroughly wipe the sore areas. At night they must be lubricated with a 5 percent iodine solution. In the morning, apply a little Vaseline to the sore spots.

What should be the lifestyle

When treating bones and joints, you must follow a few simple rules every day:

Less overwork. If fatigue suddenly sets in, the right thing to do is to stop and rest.
During the day, a two-hour rest is required;
Must lift or carry no more than 5 kilograms at a time;
We need to walk more and use less transport, both personal and public;
If your legs hurt, you need to monitor the smoothness and softness of each step when walking. You need to give up running and even minor jumping. When going down the stairs, you must first lower your healthy leg, and then put the already sick leg on it. It is necessary to do the same when climbing somewhere: put the leg affected by the disease only after the healthy one has been raised onto the step. It is important to remember that static loading is not as dangerous as impact loading;
Preference for shoes: they should be comfortable enough and soft enough;
It is necessary to sleep only on hard beds so that the spinal column does not sag;
Special attention should be paid to nutrition. The most important thing: you need to limit your intake of protein foods and completely avoid eating mushrooms.

A person’s age plays an important role in the treatment of bone diseases, since the older the person, the more difficult it will be to treat the disease. However, you can always achieve a positive effect if you identify the disease in time and treat it in a timely manner.

Depending on the nature, severity and location of the spread of bone disease (for example, disease of the radius), various doctors can deal with it, from rheumatologists and therapists, to orthopedists and traumatologists (if, for example, we are talking about diseases of the heel bone). However, the most important point is to contact a specialist in a timely manner. No pills can help.

How to forget about joint pain...

Joint pain limits your movements and full life...
You are worried about discomfort, crunching and systematic pain...
You may have tried a bunch of medications, creams and ointments...
But judging by the fact that you are reading these lines, they did not help you much...

Attention

We will publish information soon.

Myeloma (myeloma) - types (multiple, diffuse, solitary, etc.), symptoms and stages, diagnosis, treatment methods, life expectancy and prognosis

Myeloma - general characteristics

They activate the work of osteoclast cells, which begin to intensively destroy the structure of bones, causing their fragility, osteoporosis and pain;
Accelerate the growth and reproduction of plasma cells that form myeloma;
Suppress the immune system, acting as immunosuppressive substances;
Activate the work of fibroblasts that produce elastic fibers and fibrogen, which, in turn, penetrate the blood, increase its viscosity and provoke the constant formation of bruises and minor bleeding;
Activate the active growth of liver cells, which cease to synthesize sufficient amounts of prothrombin and fibrinogen, as a result of which blood clotting worsens;
They disrupt protein metabolism due to the high content of paraproteins in the blood, which causes kidney damage.

To summarize, we can say that myeloma is a malignant disease caused by the uncontrolled proliferation of monoclonal pathological plasma cells that produce paraproteins that infiltrate vital organs and tissues and cause disruption of their functioning. Since pathological plasma cells multiply uncontrollably and their number is constantly growing, myeloma is classified as a malignant tumor of the blood system - hemoblastosis.

Types of myeloma

Bence-Jones myeloma (occurs in 12–20% of cases);
A-myeloma (25% of cases);
G-myeloma (50% of cases);
M-myeloma (3 – 6%);
E-myeloma (0.5 – 2%);
D-myeloma (1 – 3%)
Non-secreting myeloma (0.5 – 1%).

Thus, Bence-Jones myeloma is characterized by the release of an atypical immunoglobulin, which is called Bence-Jones protein, on the basis of which the tumor got its name. Myelomas G, A, M, E and D secrete, respectively, defective immunoglobulins of the types IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, IgD. And nonsecreting myeloma does not produce any paraprotein. This immunochemical classification of myelomas is rarely used in practical medicine, since on its basis it is impossible to develop optimal treatment tactics and patient monitoring. The identification of these types of myeloma is important for scientific research.

Solitary myeloma

Multiple myeloma

Diffuse focal myeloma;
Diffuse myeloma;
Multifocal (multiple myeloma).

Diffuse myeloma

Multiple focal myeloma

Diffuse focal myeloma

Plasmacytic myeloma (plasma cell);
Plasmablastic myeloma;
Polymorphic cell myeloma;
Small cell myeloma.

Plasma cell myeloma

Plasmablastic myeloma

Polymorphic cell and small cell myeloma

Myeloma – photo

This photograph shows the deformation of the chest and spine due to myeloma.

This photograph shows numerous bruises and bruises characteristic of myeloma.

This photograph shows the bones of the forearm affected by myeloma.

Causes of the disease

Chronic viral infections;
Genetic predisposition (approximately 15–20% of blood relatives of myeloma patients suffered from some kind of leukemia);
Exposure to factors that suppress the immune system (for example, exposure to radioactive radiation, taking cytostatic drugs or immunosuppressants, stress, etc.);
Long-term exposure to toxic substances (for example, inhalation of mercury vapor, asbestos, arsenic compounds, lead, etc.);
Obesity.

Myeloma (myeloma) - symptoms

1. Symptoms associated with the direct growth and localization of the tumor in the bone marrow;

2. Symptoms associated with the deposition of paraproteins (infiltration) in various organs and systems.

Bone pain;
Osteoporosis of bones in which tumor foci are located;
Bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures;
Deformation of bones with compression of internal organs (for example, when foci of myeloma are localized in the vertebrae, compression of the bone marrow occurs, etc.);
Shortened height due to bone deformation;
Hypercalcemia (increased levels of calcium in the blood, which develops as a result of bone resorption and the release of calcium compounds from them);
Anemia, leukopenia (reduced number of white blood cells in the blood) and thrombocytopenia (reduced number of platelets in the blood);
Frequent infectious diseases of a bacterial nature.

Pain in the bones is associated with their destruction, deformation and compression by a growing tumor. The pain is usually worse when lying down, as well as with movement, coughing and sneezing, but is not present all the time. Constant pain usually indicates a bone fracture.

Increased blood viscosity;
Kidney failure;
Nephrotic syndrome;
Bleeding (raccoon eye syndrome and spontaneous bleeding from the mucous membranes of various organs);
Hypocoagulation (decreased activity of the blood coagulation system);
Neurological symptoms;
Cardiomyopathy (heart dysfunction);
Hepatomegaly (enlarged liver);
Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen);
Macroglossia (increase in size and decrease in mobility of the tongue);
Alopecia (baldness);
Nail destruction.

Hypocoagulation develops due to two factors. Firstly, it is a deficiency of platelets in the blood, and secondly, it is the functional inferiority of platelets, the surface of which is covered with paraproteins. As a result, the platelets remaining in the blood are unable to ensure normal blood clotting, which causes bleeding and a tendency to bleed.

Picture 1– Raccoon eye syndrome.

Also, due to insufficient blood supply to deep-lying tissues and organs, increased blood viscosity can cause heart failure, shortness of breath, hypoxia, general weakness and anorexia. In general, the classic triad of manifestations of increased blood viscosity is considered to be a combined impairment of mental activity, shortness of breath and pathological coma.

Myeloma of the blood, bones, spine, bone marrow, skin, kidney and skull - brief description

Stages of the disease

Multiple myeloma grade 3 is diagnosed if a person has at least one of the following symptoms:

The blood hemoglobin concentration is below 85 g/l or the hematocrit value is less than 25%;
Blood calcium concentration is higher than 2.65 mmol/l (or higher than 12 mg per 100 ml of blood);
Foci of tumor growth in three or more bones at once;
High concentration of blood paraproteins (IgG more than 70 g/l, IgA more than 50 g/l);
High concentration of Bence Jones protein in urine - more than 112 g per day;
The total tumor mass is 1.2 kg/m2 or more;
The x-ray shows signs of osteoporosis of the bones.

Stage II myeloma is a diagnosis of exclusion, since it is set if the listed laboratory parameters are higher than those of stage I, but none of them reaches the values characteristic of stage III.

Diagnosis of myeloma (myeloma disease)

General diagnostic principles

X-ray of the skeleton and chest;
Spiral computed tomography;
Aspiration (collection) of bone marrow to produce a myelogram;
General blood analysis;
Biochemical blood test (required determination of concentrations and activity of urea, creatinine, calcium, total protein, albumin, LDH, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT, uric acid, C-reactive protein and beta2-microglobulin if necessary);
General urine analysis;
Coagulogram (determination of MNI, PTI, APTT, TV);
Determination of paraproteins in urine or blood using immunoelectrophoresis;
Determination of immunoglobulins using the Mancini method.

X-ray

2. Round-shaped areas of destruction of the skull bones, which are called “leaky skull” syndrome;

3. Small holes in the bones of the shoulder girdle, located like a honeycomb and shaped like a soap bubble;

4. Small and numerous holes in the ribs and shoulder blades, located over the entire surface of the bones and having an appearance similar to moth-eaten woolen fabric;

5. A shortened spine and compressed individual vertebrae, having a characteristic appearance called “fish mouth” syndrome.

Spiral computed tomography

Tests for myeloma

Hemoglobin concentration is less than 100 G/l;
The red blood cell count is less than 3.7 T/L in women and less than 4.0 T/L in men;
Platelet count less than 180 G/l;
Leukocyte count less than 4.0 G/l;
The number of neutrophils in the leukoformula is less than 55%;
The number of monocytes in the leukoformula is more than 7%;
Single plasma cells in the leukoformula (2 – 3%);
ESR – 60 mm or more per hour.

In addition, Jolly bodies are visible in the blood smear, which indicates a malfunction of the spleen.

In a biochemical blood test for myeloma, the following indicator values are determined:

Total protein concentration 90 g/L or higher;
Albumin concentration 35 g/L or lower;
Urea concentration 6.4 mmol/L or higher;
Creatinine concentration is higher than 95 µmol/L in women and higher than 115 µmol/L in men;
Uric acid concentration is higher than 340 µmol/L in women and higher than 415 µmol/L in men;
Calcium concentration is higher than 2.65 mmol/l;
C-reactive protein is either within normal limits or slightly elevated;
Alkaline phosphatase activity is higher than normal;
The activity of AST and ALT is within the upper limit of normal or increased;
LDH activity is increased.

Determination of the concentration of beta2-microglobulin protein is carried out separately if there is a suspicion of myeloma and is not included in the standard list of biochemical blood test indicators. In myeloma, the level of beta2-microglobulin is significantly higher than normal.

Density more than 1030;
Red blood cells in urine;
Protein in urine;
Casts in urine.

When urine is heated, Bence Jones protein precipitates, the amount of which in multiple myeloma is 4–12 g per day or more.

1. The number of plasma cells in the bone marrow based on myelogram data is 10% or more.

2. The presence or absence of plasma cells in tissue biopsies other than bone marrow (kidneys, spleen, lymph nodes, etc.).

3. The presence of an M-gradient in the blood or urine (increased concentration of immunoglobulins).

4. Presence of any of the following signs:

Calcium level above 105 mg/l;
Creatinine level more than 20 mg/l (200 mg/ml);
Hemoglobin level is below 100 g/l;
Osteoporosis or softening of the bones.

That is, if a person’s test results reveal the specified criteria, then the diagnosis of myeloma is considered confirmed.

Myeloma (myeloma, multiple myeloma) - treatment

General principles of therapy

Chemotherapy

Melphalan– take 0.5 mg/kg 4 days every 4 weeks, and administer intravenously 16–20 mg per 1 m2 of body area also 4 days every 2 weeks.
Cyclophosphamide– take 50–200 mg once a day for 2–3 weeks or administer intramuscularly 150–200 mg per day every 2–3 days for 3–4 weeks. You can administer a solution intravenously at 600 mg per 1 m2 of body area once every two weeks. A total of 3 intravenous injections should be given.
Lenalidomide– take 25 mg every day at the same time for 3 weeks. Then they take a break for a week and then resume therapy, gradually reducing the dosage to 20, 15 and 5 mg. Lenalidomide should be combined with Dexamethasone, which is taken 40 mg once a day.

Polychemotherapy is carried out according to the following schemes:

MR scheme– Take Melphalan in tablets at 9 mg/m2 and Prednisolone at 100–200 mg for 1–4 days.
Scheme M2– on day 1, administer three drugs intravenously: Vincristine 0.03 mg/kg, Cyclophosphamide 10 mg/kg and BCNU 0.5 mg/kg. From days 1 to 7, administer Melphalan 0.25 mg/kg intravenously and take 1 mg/kg Prednisolone orally.
VAD scheme– on days 1–4 inclusive, administer two drugs intravenously: Vincristine 0.4 mg/m2 and Doxirubicin 9 mg/m2. Along with Vincristine and Doxirubicin, you should take 40 mg of Dexamethasone once a day. Then, from days 9 to 12 and from days 17 to 20, only 40 mg of Dexamethasone tablets are taken once a day.
VBMCP Scheme(megadose chemotherapy for people under 50 years of age) - three drugs are administered intravenously on day 1: Carmustine pomg/m2, Vincristine 1.4 mg/m2 and Cyclophosphamide 400 mg/m2. From days 1 to 7 inclusive, two drugs are taken orally in tablets: Melphalan 8 mg/m2 once a day and Prednisolone 40 mg/m2 once a day. After 6 weeks, Carmustine is administered again at the same dose.

If chemotherapy is effective, then after completion of the course, a transplant of the patient’s own bone marrow stem cells is performed. To do this, during a puncture, the bone marrow is taken, stem cells are isolated from it and they are replanted. In addition, during the periods between courses of chemotherapy, to maximize the remission period, it is recommended to administer intramuscular alpha-interferon preparations (Altevir, Intron A, Laifferon, Rekolin, etc.) 3-6 million units 3 times a week.

Symptomatic therapy

Nutrition for myeloma

Multiple myeloma (myeloma disease): causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment - video

Life expectancy and prognosis

Multiple myeloma (myeloma disease): symptoms and pathogenesis of the disease, prognosis and life expectancy, patient reviews and doctor’s recommendations - video

Leave feedback

You can add your comments and feedback to this article, subject to the Discussion Rules.

Osteoporosis - destruction of bone tissue, causes, symptoms and treatment of the disease

Osteoporosis is a pathology that is caused by the destruction of bone tissue. It is not for nothing that experts consider it a “silent epidemic”, because the disease is completely asymptomatic for years, and during this time the bones constantly lose density and become excessively fragile. It is not difficult to guess what consequences this leads to. Even from a simple awkward movement, or simply dropping a weighty object on your leg, you can “earn” a limb fracture. According to statistics, half of women whose age has exceeded 50 years, and 20% of mature men, have obvious signs of osteoporosis. Women are affected much more often by this disease, due to the fact that during menopause their bodies stop producing estrogens, which maintain bone strength. In addition to belonging to the weaker sex, the following categories of people may be at risk for the development of pathology:

Persons taking antacids containing aluminum and steroid hormones for a long time;
Pensioners;
Patients who are constantly on diets and are underweight.

It is also worth remembering those who have a burdened heredity, are adherents of harmful habits, including coffee abuse, and also lead a sedentary lifestyle. All these people are primarily at risk of osteoporosis. You can often hear the question of why this disease occurs and what is the mechanism of its development. The main factor provoking its occurrence is the excessive excretion of calcium from the body, resulting in its deficiency. When a deficiency of this essential chemical becomes noticeable, it begins to leach into the blood from the skeleton. If it is not replenished from the outside, it becomes very dangerous, since the calcium depots present in the bones are gradually completely depleted, which directly leads to the onset of the development of osteoporosis.

Etiology of osteoporosis

When the human body works normally, it always maintains a balance of calcium, since special cells, osteoclasts that remove excess of this element, and construction osteoblasts that deliver it, work synchronously. But sometimes there are disruptions in their activity - either destructive osteoclasts show excessive activity, or insufficient osteoblasts. This situation directly leads to a person developing osteoporosis. Such violations are caused by certain reasons or their combination. Factors that can provoke the occurrence of this pathology include the following:

Genetics plays a major role. Thus, people belonging to the Caucasian or Mongoloid races, as well as females, suffer from this disease much more often than other categories of the population;
Heredity is also a risk factor. If one of your blood relatives has a history of this disease, then it is worth taking appropriate preventive measures that can prevent the development of osteoporosis;
The risk of pathology also increases due to hormonal imbalances. Women during menopause, as well as those people who have a history of diseases of the adrenal glands, parathyroid and pancreas, should be especially attentive to the appearance of alarming signs;
Osteoporosis can also occur when a person has pathologies of the circulatory, digestive and endocrine systems, as well as systemic auto-allergies;
Long-term use of certain groups of medications also leads to the development of the disease. Tetracycline antibiotics, anticoagulants, thyroid hormones, and glucocorticoids significantly increase the risk of disease;
Lifestyle is also a significant risk factor. Osteoporosis is caused by smoking abuse, addiction to alcoholic beverages and coffee, excessive exercise, and insufficient physical activity.

All of the above reasons are direct prerequisites for the development of osteoporosis, since they upset the balance of calcium in the body and, accordingly, because of this, bone tissue is destroyed.

How to detect osteoporosis in the early stages?

This insidious disease is practically asymptomatic for a long time, so it is very difficult to determine that the bone tissue is undergoing a process of destruction. In this regard, many patients have a question about whether there are any indirect signs that can alarm a person and tell him about the onset of the development of osteoporosis. It is possible to accurately detect the disease directly in the first stages, when the decrease in bone density does not yet exceed 3%, but for this it is necessary to undergo an ultrasound diagnostic test called bone densitometry. But still, there are a number of nonspecific signs that should alert a person and prompt him to visit a specialist in a timely manner. Among them the following signs are noted:

A serious signal indicating the onset of osteoporosis is a change in height. If it has decreased by more than 1.5 cm in a short time, you should consult a doctor immediately;
Another indirect sign of this pathology is a deterioration in posture noticeable to the naked eye. Any curvature of the spine should be alarming;
It is also worth paying attention to the occurrence of characteristic pain in the lumbar and thoracic back, which intensifies both after a long stay in one position and slight physical activity. They also indicate the probable occurrence of osteoporosis.

It is recommended to consult a doctor and undergo appropriate diagnostics, even in the absence of such symptoms of pathology, for those people who have had cases of the development of the disease in their family, women during menopause, and all those who have had more than 2 fractures after 40 years.

Types of osteoporosis

According to health statistics, more than 200 million people suffer from this disease in our time. This disease is considered to be a social disease, occurring in developed societies. In clinical practice, it is usually divided into primary, idiopathic, and secondary osteoporosis. Primary forms of pathology include:

Senile osteoporosis, which occurs as a result of aging of the body. It affects representatives of both sexes, but most often the fairer sex suffers from this disease after 70 years of age. The development of the disease is accompanied by frequent migraines, blurred vision and muscle weakness. Bone fractures with this pathology occur quite often and usually lead to dire consequences;
Only women in menopause experience postmenopausal bone fragility. This is due to the fact that at this time their production of estrogen, which maintains normal bone density, decreases. This type of osteoporosis is pronounced and affects the thoracic spine, lower back and pelvis. It often causes multiple compression fractures, which are very dangerous;
Idiopathic osteoporosis is common in men. It can occur quite early. The lower age limit for this type of osteoporosis is 20 years. The disease begins almost unnoticeably. The first sign that should alarm you is the occasional pain in the back area. This form of pathology has one peculiarity - only the skeletal bones of the body are affected, the limbs remain unaffected. It can also cause spinal fractures;
The last type of primary osteoporosis is juvenile, which will be discussed separately, since it occurs only in children. The reason for this is not fully understood, but presumably lies in the presence of congenital defects in the baby. The pathology appears unexpectedly; its main signs are thoracic curvature of posture and significant pain in the legs and back. Also, if a child develops this disease, he may be significantly behind in growth compared to his peers. With this type of osteoporosis, a tendency to compression fractures is possible, but they are not a mandatory factor.

The secondary form of the disease occurs as a consequence of some other disease. Most often, this type of osteoporosis affects those people who have a history of Crohn's disease, chronic lung pathologies, rheumatoid arthritis, oncology, or diabetes mellitus. Also, a prerequisite for its development may be long-term use of medications containing aluminum. Compression fractures are not typical for this type of disease, but it is accompanied by severe bone pain.

The danger of juvenile osteoporosis

People usually think that osteoporosis is only for the elderly, so why do children suffer? Experts identify 2 groups of prerequisites that can provoke the appearance of such a dangerous disease in the younger generation. This is, firstly, a decrease in the rate of skeleton formation, and secondly, an increase in the deformation of bone tissue. In children, these pathological processes are congenital. In them, osteoporosis appears as a consequence of disorders that occurred during intrauterine development. It is provoked by:

Various poisonings of a woman bearing a child;
The labor activity of the expectant mother does not meet hygienic standards or her chronic diseases;
Impaired functionality of the placenta, causing intrauterine hypotrophy or hypoxia;
Prematurity of the fetus

During puberty, osteoporosis occurs due to exposure to toxins or radiation, early onset of alcohol consumption, pathologies accompanied by inflammation (tuberculosis or collagenosis), a sedentary lifestyle and an unbalanced diet. Often, parents do not realize that a child is developing such an illness for a long time, since he does not have any specific symptoms. Assumptions usually appear only when a repeated fracture occurs without much trauma. These injuries usually affect the ulna or humerus, femoral neck, and vertebral bodies.

Adolescents complain of pain in the legs or back only when the damage to bone tissue by osteoporosis becomes significant. Also at this time, they quickly become tired in a sitting or standing position. At first, the pain is acute, but periodic and fleeting, and in the absence of appropriate therapy, it becomes aching and is felt constantly, even during sleep.

Symptoms of osteoporosis at different stages

The appearance of the first clinical signs of this pathology occurs late, after a sufficiently long period of time after immediate changes have begun in the structure of bone tissue. The initial symptoms of osteoporosis are considered to be pain in the limbs and lower back, muscle weakness, and a feeling of discomfort in the interscapular area. This is due to the fact that a person’s calcium supply is quite large, and visible changes (impaired growth and posture), as well as clinical changes (soreness), appear only when it is almost completely used up. There are several degrees of osteoporosis. They are related to how much bone tissue is destroyed. Each stage of the disease has its own symptoms:

I degree of osteoporosis is considered mild and is characterized by the fact that their structure has not yet undergone significant changes, and their density is practically not reduced. During this period, a person experiences intermittent and rather weak pain in the limbs or spine and a slight decrease in muscle tone;
II, moderate degree of osteoporosis, is accompanied by pronounced changes in the bone structure. Spinal lesions cause stooping and pain becomes constant
III degree of osteoporosis is an extreme, severe variant of the manifestation of the disease. With it, the main part of the bone tissue is destroyed, which causes symptoms such as intense and constant back pain, a significant decrease in height and pronounced posture disorders.

Patients usually see a specialist precisely when osteoporosis reaches an advanced stage. Despite the fact that modern medicine has many innovative technologies that make it possible to relieve patients from various ailments, it is almost never possible to achieve complete recovery in such situations. Only active and adequate treatment can prevent the dangerous consequences of osteoporosis, fractures of the femoral neck or spine, which almost always result in disability and sometimes death. Due to the fact that until the loss of bone mass by 20–30%, the disease has practically no obvious manifestations, people after 40 years of age should regularly consult with a rheumatologist. This will help to promptly identify the initial signs of the disease and begin a set of therapeutic procedures.

Diagnosis of osteoporosis

Nowadays, identifying the presence of this pathology in a patient does not present any difficulties. But ordinary radiography is not capable of fully assessing the degree of development of osteoporosis in a person. That is why special techniques are used to diagnose the disease. They are necessary for the reason that in order to plan adequate treatment and assess the changes in bone density that occur during treatment, the specialist must have quantitative information about their immediate condition. This assessment is considered the main one in the diagnosis of osteoporosis. This study is carried out using densitometry, which comes in 3 types - ultrasound, CT and MRI, and x-ray.

This procedure has a big advantage in that it makes it possible to detect the disease at the earliest stages of its development, when no changes are yet visible on X-rays taken in the usual way. In addition, densitometry is indispensable when it is necessary to monitor the progress of osteoporosis treatment, as it makes it possible to detect the most minimal deviations in the direction of decreasing or increasing bone density.

In addition to this innovative technique for identifying a disease, a biochemical blood test is also performed to select medications that are suitable for each specific case of the disease. Knowing its results, the specialist can, not at random, but with the greatest accuracy, choose from a large number of drugs intended for the treatment of a given bone pathology exactly the one that is necessary for a certain development of the disease.

Treatment of osteoporosis

The choice of therapeutic methods for this disease depends on its nature. Treatment of the secondary form of the disease is aimed at eliminating the cause that became the prerequisite for its development of osteoporosis. And with primary, developing predominantly in females and having an age-related nature, therapeutic measures have their own characteristics. They are aimed at slowing down bone loss, or, if possible, building it up. The following treatment methods are distinguished:

The main one consists in prescribing medications to patients that affect the metabolic processes of calcium in the bones. Taking these drugs can slow down or stop the progression of osteoporosis, but it must be long-term and continuous. The most effective medications in this case are considered to be regulators of calcium-phosphorus metabolism, which are similar to parathyroid hormones;
Hormone replacement, symptomatic. This type of treatment has recently begun to be used more and more often, and it is used not only for obvious signs of osteoporosis, but also when a person has prerequisites for the development of this disease. Menopausal women are advised to take estrogen receptor modulators that slow bone loss. This allows you to reduce the risk of fractures caused by the development of osteoporosis by 50%.

In the case where we are talking about pathology of the hip or knee joint, surgery is assumed. If conservative drug treatment is ineffective, joint replacement is performed, when the worn-out joint is replaced with a prosthesis. This method is used when the risk of hip fracture becomes very high. It not only improves the quality of life of a sick person, but also allows it to be significantly extended.

Prevention of osteoporosis

In order to prevent the development of this disease, first of all it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, but this should be done not from the moment alarming symptoms appear, but from childhood, when bone tissue is being formed. It is at this time that every effort should be made to form a strong foundation for the bones, which will not allow osteoporosis to develop even during menopause in a woman. In addition, disease prevention involves several important aspects:

The fight against chronic diseases is considered a very effective measure to prevent the development of this pathology. Timely treatment of all ailments is necessary, especially for those diseases that disrupt the calcium balance and directly provoke the occurrence of osteoporosis;

Physical activity should be moderate, but it should be maintained constantly. Jogging and walking in the fresh air, dancing, and morning exercises strengthen the bone skeleton very well;

Proper nutrition for osteoporosis includes increased calcium content in food. It will prevent the occurrence of the disease even after many years. Also, food products used in the diet should be rich in phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin D. They are necessary for high-quality nutrition of bones. But excess salt will be harmful, as it contributes to the leaching of essential minerals from the bones, and, as a result, the development of osteoporosis.

Everyone knows that with age, human bones become more fragile. And salt, lack of vitamin D3 and many other factors also destroy bone tissue. But, as research is carried out, new data appears, and some of the popular information turns into myths. We figured out what is actually dangerous for bone tissue?

Calcium and phosphorus, which are contained in bone tissue, are not permanently and irrevocably fixed in it. In fact, bones are a depot, a repository of reserves of these minerals: 90% of all calcium is contained in bone tissue. Calcium is involved in many metabolic processes. Its concentration in blood plasma is approximately 10 mg/100 ml. The deviation from this indicator during the day does not exceed 3%.

A person's bone tissue constantly changes throughout his life. As loads change or when injuries occur, it is able to change its structure. There are two types of cells for this:

osteoblasts form the bone matrix itself;
osteoclasts destroy it. This process is called resorption.

Osteoclasts create new tunnels in the bone tissue, and osteoblasts fill them with bone. For example, in order for a child to cut a tooth, osteoclasts must first destroy the jaw bone at that site. The change in bone structure is called bone remodeling.

In childhood, bone tissue formation occurs in greater volumes than resorption - due to this, the skeleton grows. In adulthood, these processes are balanced: every day 0.4 g of calcium is washed out of the human skeleton and the same amount is deposited in it. In old age, resorption processes prevail over the processes of bone tissue synthesis, as a result of which its mineral density decreases and osteoporosis gradually develops.

In adulthood, certain conditions cause calcium to be washed out of bone tissue, causing it to weaken. For example, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, a woman should consume more calcium, since the body actively uses it to build the baby’s skeleton. Pregnancy and lactation themselves in this case do not affect a woman’s health, but such side effects can seriously harm her.

Estrogen deficiency

This is one of the most powerful factors influencing the condition of women's bone tissue. They inhibit the functioning of osteoclasts and thereby slow down the resorption processes. During menopause, estrogen production decreases significantly. This causes the level of bone resorption to increase. Bone tissue becomes thinner, becomes more fragile, and bones become more brittle.

What to do? Increased calcium intake helps preserve bone tissue by reducing the number of osteoclasts and increasing osteoblasts.

Excess thyroid hormones

Normally, thyroid hormones increase the activity of both osteoclasts and osteoblasts. But with hyperthyroidism, resorption begins to prevail over the creation of bone tissue, which also leads to its weakening.

What to do? Monitor the condition of your thyroid gland. If you suspect its pathology, you should contact an endocrinologist - and the sooner the better.

Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) is a unique compound. It is involved in the processes of bone tissue destruction (resorption), promotes the formation of osteoclasts, and its metabolites increase the absorption of calcium in the intestines and the excretion of calcium by the kidneys. It would seem that the less vitamin D, the better? But no. The situation is exactly the opposite. Vitamin D is also involved in the production of citric acid, which forms insoluble salts with calcium and thereby increases the mineralization of the bone matrix. With a lack of cholecalciferol, this process is disrupted, and the level of calcium in the blood plasma decreases. In the worst case, this leads to osteomalacia - softening of the bones.

What to do? The sun is a factor influencing the production of vitamin D in the human body. It is enough to regularly be in the sun to protect yourself from rickets and a whole list of other, no less unpleasant diseases. In northern latitudes, where there is not enough sun, vitamin supplements are necessary. But there is one caveat: vitamin D itself (or rather, its D3 form) does not protect a person from bone tissue destruction. Therefore, you should use calcium supplements with vitamin D3 - they immediately give the body everything it needs in one tablet: both calcium and the vitamin, without which it cannot be absorbed.

Some medications

In 2016, American scientists found that children and adolescents receiving medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had noticeably lower bone density than their peers who were not receiving such treatment. Scientists point out that we are talking about children and adolescents who have not yet reached peak bone density. This means that the effects of the drugs may affect the health of young patients in their future.

Glucocorticoids also have a negative effect on bone tissue. They remove calcium from the bone and inhibit its absorption in the intestine. In addition, they inhibit protein synthesis. In general, under their influence, hypocalcemia and subsequently osteoporosis can develop.

What to do? Do not take any medications without doctor's advice. When taking any medications, you should check what side effects may occur. Then discuss with your doctor measures that can be taken to minimize harm.

Bad habits

Alcohol and smoking kill not only the liver and lungs, but also destroy the human skeleton. Bad habits are especially dangerous for women in menopause - every additional risk factor for decreased bone density can lead to osteoporosis.

What to do? Give up tobacco and limit alcohol to the standards recommended by WHO - no more than one dose of alcohol-containing drinks per day for women and no more than two for men.

Salt breaks down bones

The theory that salt destroys bone tissue was based on the fact that bones contain both sodium and calcium. As salt (NaCl) intake increases, calcium is removed from the body, which leads to decreased bone mineral density and increases the risk of fractures. In accordance with this theory, it was recommended to reduce salt intake, especially for women during menopause, that is, at risk.

But a recent global study using data from 70,000 women found there was no significant link between salt intake and bone health. And those relationships that were able to be identified earlier are explained by the influence of body mass index (BMI). The higher the BMI, the greater the risk of fractures, and women with a high BMI consumed more salt.

Protein is bad for bones

Several decades ago, it was noticed that large amounts of protein lead to leaching of calcium from bones. However, it later turned out that the adsorption of calcium by bone tissue also increases. It later turned out that the negative effect of excess protein was observed only against the background of calcium deficiency. If there is enough calcium, then, on the contrary, protein is good for bones. Finally, it must be taken into account that proteins are essential for building muscle. And the more powerful the muscle corset, the better it protects the skeleton from fractures.

What to do? If a person receives calcium less than 600 mg/day, then he should not exceed the norm of 2 g/kg when consuming protein. You should learn to control your diet.

Healthy eating

Your diet should include high-calcium foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, canned sardines and salmon, soy products, and some dark green leafy vegetables. By the way, wheat flakes impair the absorption of calcium. If a person adheres to a diet that includes them, at least 2 hours should pass between breakfast cereal and a meal or dietary supplement with calcium.

Physical activity

As mentioned above, bone tissue can change. The higher the physical activity, the greater the load, the stronger the person’s bones. The sofa and TV are no less destructive to bone tissue than hormones. By the way, contrary to popular belief, cycling does not do anything to your bones. Muscles, heart - yes, but bone tissue - no. Cycling enthusiasts are better off adding something extra to their rides to keep their skeletons strong.

Calcium supplements

Women aged 18 to 50 years need 1000 mg of calcium per day. But after 50 years, this figure increases to 1200 mg of calcium, so you need to start taking dietary supplements (dietary supplements) of calcium with vitamin D3.

Aching joints due to the weather, constant pain in the lower back, brittle nails and hair - such symptoms may not always be harmless, as is commonly believed. Sometimes these are the first signs of incipient osteoporosis. In order to see a doctor on time and stop the course of the disease, it is important to know about the risk factors and methods of treating the disease.

What is osteoporosis

Osteoporosis – what is it? The answer to this topical question in recent years can be in several ways. A smart medical reference book will tell you about the diagnosis of osteoporosis - that it is the liquefaction of bone tissue due to excessive leaching of calcium with subsequent destruction of the internal structure of the bone. Translated into understandable language, osteopenia is a systemic disease that over time leads to brittle bones, frequent fractures of the arms or legs, hip joints and other parts of the body.

Bones

In an absolutely healthy person, the bones are covered with a dense cortical shell, but inside they consist of spongy tissue. When phosphorus-calcium metabolism is disrupted, the inner layer is destroyed, and the bone plates become thinner or disappear altogether. Such structural changes significantly reduce the resistance of the bone to physical stress. Bone osteoporosis can affect all parts of the body, for example, the spine or joints, but more often the sella turcica, hip, humerus, radius, and ulna bones are subject to reverse regression.

Spine

Osteoporosis of the spine can affect both adults and children. This is not a separate disease, but only a severe degree of the underlying disease. The spinal column is designed to maintain the correct balance of the body, its vertical and horizontal position; when bone tissue is destroyed, these functions are not supported by the body. The following signs will tell you that this is a bone disease of the spine:

significant and sharp decrease in growth;
local pain upon palpation of the vertebrae;
acute pain when turning or bending the body;
change in posture.

Joints

Connective tissue disease or joint osteoporosis – what is it then? Doctors talk about this when calcium is washed out of the body too quickly, but not only bones, but also cartilage or periarticular tissue are subject to degenerative changes in the structure of tissues. Most often, osteoporosis of the joints affects the knee, hip, and ankle bones, that is, those parts of the body that bear the greatest load.

Causes

It is important not only to know what osteoporosis is, but also to be able to distinguish different forms of the disease from each other. There is diffuse osteoporosis, which affects all parts of the body at once; it is rare in older people. Partial destruction of bones or cartilage affects only the weakest parts of the human body. It can be diagnosed in people of different ages. This classification of bone disease allows us to divide risk factors into idiopathic, which appear on their own, and controllable, those that can be avoided.

Idiopathic roots of the disease should be sought:

in heredity;
belonging to the Eurasian race;
in women in early menopause, late onset of menstruation;
infertility in both women and men;
with high stature and low body weight.

Causes of osteoporosis that can be influenced from outside:

smoking and alcohol;
passive lifestyle;
diseases in the chronic stage;
poor nutrition;
vitamin D deficiency as a result of living in northern regions where there is not enough sunlight;
long-term use of steroid, anticonvulsant, blood thinning drugs.

There is a third reason for changes in cartilage and bone tissue - chronic diseases: this can be inflammation of the intestines, liver or kidney diseases, as well as Cushing's syndrome or Crohn's disease. Nervous disorders such as bulimia or anorexia often lead to structural changes in bones. In any case, it is almost useless to establish the cause yourself. Only a qualified doctor, based on test results, can find the original source of the disease.

Signs and symptoms

The primary symptoms of osteoporosis are difficult to identify, which is why the disease is often called the “silent killer.” A person learns that bone tissue has become brittle and brittle after a broken limb. The question arises: how to check the condition of bones for osteoporosis? It is worth addressing the secondary signs:

stoop, senile hunchback;
decrease in height by 3-5 cm per year;
aches in the body and joints.

Among women

In addition, you need to know about osteoporosis - what else is an age-related female disease that affects the fair sex from the age of 45 years. The reason is a sharp decrease in the production of sex hormones estrogen due to entry into the postmenopausal period, but they take an active part in strengthening bone tissue. Finding signs of osteoporosis in women over 50 is not so easy. The disease is successfully masked under the guise of minor symptoms:

excessive hair loss, baldness;
fragility and brittleness of nail plates;
dental problems: enamel destruction, caries, periodontal disease;
voluntary muscle contraction at night.

In children

Osteoporosis in children can be congenital or acquired. In utero the disease can develop for the following reasons:

prematurity;
short period between repeated births;
chronic diseases of the mother;
multiple pregnancy.

The reason for the development of secondary childhood osteoporosis of bones is:

artificial feeding;
lack of ultraviolet radiation;
calcium deficiency;
disruption of the intestinal absorption of nutrients.

If your baby is significantly inferior in height to his peers, has a curvature of the spinal ridge, poor posture, gets tired quickly, often complains of aching back pain, or asymmetric skin folds are clearly visible on the surface of the body, consult a doctor immediately. With timely diagnosis and proper treatment, the symptoms of the disease can be successfully stopped.

How to treat osteoporosis

In any case, in order for the doctor to diagnose osteoporosis and prescribe its treatment on time, the patient will have to undergo fluorography, donate blood for tumor markers, and undergo a test for bone mineral density. If, based on the results of all the tests, it has become clear that this is not another pathology, but a bone disease, the doctor will select the correct complex therapy, including nutritional correction, taking medications, vitamins D, calcium and the use of folk remedies.

Diet

Our body is almost 100% made up of what we eat, so proper nutrition is the key to good health. It is a mistake to think that to maintain bone integrity it is important to consume a lot of calcium, and in its pure form. The main condition is that the diet for osteoporosis should be balanced and include those foods that help calcium to be better absorbed:

dairy products;
fish;
greenery;
eggs;
barley and oatmeal;
nuts;
cabbage, carrots, cucumbers.

Treatment with folk remedies

There are several options for treating bone osteoporosis with folk remedies:

take 1 mummy ball twice a day;
eat 3 grams of egg powder every morning with milk or oatmeal;
drink alcoholic tinctures from common pine nuts or walnuts, 1/3 tbsp. 2 times a day;
massage with warming oils;
apply compresses from sweet clover, chamomile, and birch buds.

The list of beneficial herbs and medicinal plants is wide, but you must understand that not all of them can be used to treat bone disease. For example, natural foods that contain oxalic acid will only worsen the course of the disease. You should not take this or that collection if you are not entirely sure of its composition; it is better to ask the opinion of a homeopath or therapist before starting treatment.

Drugs

Bone tissue tends to renew itself regularly, this happens thanks to the work of two types of cells: osteoclasts and osteoblasts. The first are builders, the second are destroyers. If the number of osteoblasts exceeds the norm, the bone tissue becomes deformed. To prevent this from happening, special drugs for osteoporosis were developed - biophosphates. Medicines are available in several forms:

Tablets - need to be taken every day at the same time.
Suspensions - an injection is given once every six months.
Droppers - to maintain tissue density, the procedure will need to be repeated once a year.

Which doctor should I contact?

Who treats osteoporosis? The diagnosis is made by a traumatologist-orthopedist with the assistance of laboratory workers and a radiologist. In cases where nerve endings suffer due to bone tissue disorders, a neurologist must be involved in the work. If bone destruction is a consequence of exacerbation of chronic diseases, then specialists of other categories will be needed.

Gymnastics and exercise therapy

Light exercises will help strengthen the spine, bone tissue, improve blood circulation, and slow down the spread of the disease. You can start doing exercise therapy for osteoporosis at any age, the main thing is not to overdo it, but do home exercises regularly several times a day:

Raise your arms to the sides while holding dumbbells.
Gently bend and straighten your hands, then your elbows and shoulders.
Walk in place, lifting your feet high and holding onto the back of the chair for balance.
Bend and straighten your knees while sitting on a chair.

Prevention

Check with your doctor for a diagnosis and eliminate risk factors.
Drink calcium supplements and vitamin complexes.
Have an annual examination with a doctor, take tests, take x-rays.
To prevent osteoporosis, you need to quit smoking and stop drinking alcohol frequently.
Balance your diet.

Absorption of calcium in the body

Remember that calcium is very important for bones. Do not deny yourself the consumption of dairy products, eat cottage cheese often, cook eggs for breakfast, and cereal porridge for lunch and dinner. To completely protect yourself from the destruction of cartilage, bones and joints, take vitamin D complexes, but do this under the supervision of a doctor. Vitamins of this group not only improve the absorption of calcium by the body by 40%, but also normalize its interaction with other nutrients.