People tend to age over time. In particular, in the case of middle-aged women over the age of 40, as the density of bones decreases due to a decrease in the secretion of estrogen, the female hormone, muscle and bone pain may occur frequently. That’s osteoporosis.
In fact, most osteoporosis patients in Korea appear in women in their mid-40s or older. In most cases, there are no specific symptoms in the early stages, but gradually there may be pain and fatigue in the back and lower back. If left unattended, it is easy to be exposed to spinal diseases such as vertebral compression fractures.
A vertebral compression fracture is a condition in which the weight-bearing vertebrae are fractured in a collapsed or flat shape due to external impact. The typical symptom is severe back pain, which is relieved to some extent when lying down and resting, and then reappears when the body is brought up.
In particular, since osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures appear in a chain, it is necessary to improve the lifestyle along with the treatment of the fracture. If left unattended, it can compress other nerves and cause spinal deformity along with symptoms such as numbness in the legs, gait disturbance, and paralysis, so early treatment is important.
If symptoms are mild, they can be improved only with conservative treatment such as anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy. However, percutaneous vertebroplasty may be considered if such treatment does not relieve pain or if there is a high possibility of complications. This is a method of injecting weak artificial cement into the compression fracture site using a syringe.
In addition, to prevent recurrence following the procedure, you should eat enough foods containing calcium and vitamin D, and refrain from coffee, salty foods, smoking, and drinking alcohol. It is also helpful to increase bone density through proper exercise. Above all, it is desirable for women over 50 to prevent diseases through regular check-ups.
Sangwook Kim, Director, Gangnam Choice Hospital
