Osteopenia is a bone disease that involves a loss in mineral bone density. Having a loss in mineral bone density makes the bones weaker. Osteopenia is not as severe as osteoporosis, although people with osteopenia can develop osteoporosis. Osteopenia is a common condition, especially in older women.
Osteopenia rarely has symptoms. Most people are diagnosed with osteopenia when they have an annual bone density screening or once the osteopenia progresses to osteoporosis. Bone pain or weakness are symptoms that someone with osteopenia may experience.
Bone is tissue that constantly regenerates itself. New bone is always being made while old bone is constantly being degraded. Until around age 30, new bone is made more quickly than old bone is degraded. Humans reach peak bone mass around age 30. After this point in one’s life, the rate at which old bone is degraded begins to outpace the rate at which new bone is made. This results in gradual bone density loss for the rest of an individual’s life.
Osteopenia develops when bone density is lost more quickly than normal.
There are a lot of risk factors that can put one a risk for osteopenia, including:
If you took steroids over a long period of time (several months), went through menopause early, or have a family history of hip fractures, you may want to see a doctor about osteopenia. You can help prevent osteopenia by making healthy lifestyle choices.
In order to diagnose osteopenia, a doctor will ask about your family medical history, any current symptoms you’re having, and your lifestyle choices. To make a definitive diagnosis, they’ll run a bone density test. A bone density test is completely painless and uses X-rays to evaluate whether your bones are healthy or have osteopenia or even osteoporosis.
Complications of osteopenia include the development of osteoporosis, spinal fractures, and hip fractures.
Treatment for osteopenia involves taking care of bone density and osteoporosis prevention. Increasing calcium intake, exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, and vitamin D supplements are the best ways to manage osteopenia. A healthcare provider will also monitor your bone density over time.
While there is no cure for osteopenia, there are helpful prevention strategies that can stop osteopenia before it develops. Avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy diet, exercising daily, getting the recommended daily dose of calcium and vitamin D, going outside, and limiting alcohol intake are all easy steps you can take to prevent osteopenia.