Osteoporosis is a disease affecting the bones, making them thinner and weaker than they should be. Bones become brittle and are more at risk for fractures. Osteoporosis typically affects older women who are post-menopausal, although men may also develop the disease. People who are slender and thin boned are at elevated risk for osteoporosis, particularly Asian and Caucasian women.
When osteoporosis occurs in the spine, the vertebrae weaken and may become narrow and flatter. This may change a person’s posture, causing them to bend forward or stoop over. Osteoporosis is a common cause of Kyphosis, an abnormally curved spine. The vertebrae weaken, which can result in compression fractures. The front of the vertebrae collapse, and the person may develop a forward rounding, or hunchback appearance. This condition is sometimes called a “dowager’s hump”.
Is the condition painful?
Early osteoporosis doesn’t usually cause pain or other symptoms. The person may not even know they have it. They do feel pain if a bone fractures. Kyphosis doesn’t always cause pain, even though the back appears abnormally curved. However, some people do feel pain in the upper or mid back, shoulders, and arms. They may experience muscle weakness and stiffness. Kyphosis may feel more painful when the person lies down. A person with kyphosis sometimes has difficulty breathing as the spine compresses the airways. Kyphosis may also cause the vertebrae to compress a nerve, which can be painful.
Can kyphosis be treated?
The underlying issue of osteoporosis can be treated with medications and calcium supplements to support bone health and prevent further bone loss. Physical therapy exercises to strengthen muscles in the upper back and abdomen are important for managing pain and improving posture.
Surgery is usually not recommended for kyphosis unless there is constant pain, the curvature interferes with function or balance, or the condition is getting worse despite non-surgical treatments. Compression fractures of the vertebrae can be surgically repaired. Neurosurgeons can perform a vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, which involves injecting orthopedic cement into the fractured vertebrae. These procedures can be done using minimally invasive surgical techniques. In cases of kyphosis where there is severe pain, spinal fusion of several vertebrae may be necessary to stabilize the spine.
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