The doctor warned about the hidden danger of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, often referred to as "silent fracture disease," develops imperceptibly, without vivid symptoms, and can remain undetected for a long time. Bones lose their strength, and at one point, for example, when falling from a small height or lifting a heavy bag, a fracture occurs that would seem impossible. This was stated to Izvestia on October 1 by Candidate of Medical Sciences, traumatologist-orthopedist of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "NMICT. Priorova" Anatoly Mursalov.

"Women are especially vulnerable to this disease after menopause, when a sharp drop in estrogen levels triggers accelerated bone loss. But men are not immune either, they usually develop osteoporosis later, more often after the age of 65, especially if their testosterone levels are low," the specialist said.

Mursalov added that people with a thin build, patients with chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, thyroid gland, rheumatoid arthritis, as well as those who take medications such as glucocorticoids for a long time are at risk. The problem is aggravated by smoking, alcohol abuse and a sedentary lifestyle. In addition, if the parents had fractures of the femoral neck or spine, the likelihood of osteoporosis in children increases significantly.

The doctor drew attention to the fact that the most insidious thing about osteoporosis is its silent development. A person can feel healthy for a long time, although the bones are already losing their strength. However, there are disturbing symptoms that are worth paying attention to: a gradual decrease in height, chronic back pain for no apparent reason, the appearance of slouching or "hunchback", as well as fractures with minimal exertion.

"The gold standard of diagnosis today is DXA densitometry, which allows you to measure bone mineral density and detect osteoporosis long before a fracture occurs. However, this method has a limitation: it records only the fact of a decrease in density, but does not explain why this happened. Therefore, densitometry should always be supplemented with a follow—up examination, which includes radiography to identify fractures or deformities of the vertebrae that have already occurred, laboratory tests for markers of bone metabolism, tests for calcium, vitamin D and hormones, and in difficult cases, low-dose computed tomography," the expert emphasized.

The main methods of prevention and treatment remain unchanged: adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, physical activity, abstinence from smoking and alcohol. However, new drugs such as teriparatide and abaloparatide are also being used today, which stimulate the growth of new bone tissue, and romosozumab combines two actions — strengthening bone formation and slowing resorption. New technologies are also being introduced, such as portable ultrasound machines and artificial intelligence, which are able to detect signs of osteoporosis on X-rays even before the appearance of obvious symptoms.

On August 19, Oles Tikhonov, an orthopedic traumatologist and head of the Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics at the MedSwiss network of medical centers, said that for joint health, foods such as mackerel, almonds, strawberries, olive oil and broccoli should be in the diet. According to him, salmon, sardines, and herring are among the main sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory effects.

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