Osteoporosis

Approx. 30% of all women are at an increased risk of osteoporosis. One out of five women and one out of ten men over the age of 50 suffer from osteoporosis. 4-5 million people are currently affected in Germany alone.
Worldwide, there are more than 200 million osteoporosis patients.

Osteoporosis risk factors:

• Family history of osteoporosis
• Previous bone fracture or frequent bone fractures
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Heavy smoking – high coffee consumption
• Low-calcium diet – intolerance to dairy products
• Early onset of menopause
• Back pain
• Hormone disorders (e.g. hyperthyroidism or hyperparathyroidism, sex hormone deficiency)
• Slender build
• Weight loss – indigestion
• Advanced age
• Long-term cortisone treatment

Osteoporosis is not an inevitable fate. Today, there are ways and means to treat this disease. An early diagnosis enables the use of effective therapies. In doing so, painful bone fractures, infirmity and reduced health-related quality-of-life may be prevented.

Acute symptoms may occur in the form of back pain. Height loss and spinal curvatures (“dowager’s hump”) are indications that vertebral bodies have already collapsed, although this does not necessarily cause any symptoms.

With a thorough examination including anamnesis, laboratory evaluation and extensive consultation, the physician identifies a potential risk of osteoporosis. Osteodensitometry is an important part of these examinations. This bone density test provides insight into the bone mineral content which is measured at the DXA measuring facility. This measuring procedure is based on the “gold standard”, namely the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry method. With this technology, referred to as DXA, very accurate and precise measuring results can be achieved in a short period of time. The examination at the hip and the spinal cord is painless, easy to perform and takes only a few minutes. The radiation exposure is very low / less than during a flight within Europe. Your physician receives a measuring result of great diagnostic value for your consultation.

The treatment depends on the stage of osteoporosis. What is referred to as basic therapy is usually sufficient at early stages of the disease – in most cases an additional dose of calcium and vitamin D in combination with special physical exercise. At later stages, specific medical therapy is required. If there have been bone fractures, surgical treatment is necessary in most cases. Due to its interdisciplinary therapy concepts, Euromed Clinic is in a position to offer all conservative and surgical treatments.