Osteoporosis Specialist

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease in which your bones lose density and become weaker. It happens because your body isn’t creating enough new bone tissue to keep up with the loss of old bone tissue that your body usually breaks down and replaces.

As your bones become more fragile, the risk of fracture rises and small movements like bending down or even coughing can break a bone.

Osteoporosis can affect everybody, but it’s seen most commonly in white and Asian women who are past menopause.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

Bone loss happens silently and gradually so the disease is hard to notice at first. However, once your bones have been affected by the disease and are weakened, you might notice your bones break easily and more frequently.

You could also have back pain caused by a weakened spine or a collapsed vertebra, the series of small bones that form your spine. 

Vertebral fractures that result from osteoporosis can have serious and painful consequences like a loss of height and an increasingly stooped posture, which can lead to a permanently deformed spine.

How is osteoporosis treated?

You can take a number of steps to prevent and treat osteoporosis. Through a combination of medication and lifestyle changes, you can avoid fractures and continue to lead a healthy life.

Nutritional and lifestyle changes are among the best preventive steps you can take to avoid developing osteoporosis. This begins in childhood and continues into adulthood as your bones grow in strength and size.

Make sure you’re eating a healthy diet rich in protein, calcium, and vitamin D to give your body the nutrients it needs to make strong bones. 

Healthy lifestyle choices like getting regular physical activity and avoiding smoking and drinking also reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis.

If you’re diagnosed with osteoporosis, Dr. Sivalingam can prescribe medication along with lifestyle changes. These medications work to slow bone deterioration and maintain your bone density, lowering your chances of breaking bones. 

You can also be prescribed vitamin D or other nutritional supplements to build up the strength of your bones.

The best treatments thoroughly address your symptoms and tackle the underlying causes of your condition by using a combination of diet and lifestyle changes, medication, and supplements.

To learn more about how you can benefit from these treatment plans, call the office or use the online scheduling tool to make an appointment at First Valley Medical Group today.