Osteoporosis Management Program

Osteoporosis is a bone density disease that develops when bone mineral density and bone mass decreases, or when the quality or structure of bone changes. Bones affected by osteoporosis can become so fragile that everyday activities such as walking, lifting or even coughing can cause a fracture or break.

Although osteoporosis has no symptoms, there are known risk factors that can increase the likelihood of osteoporosis developing. Risk factors include being a woman age 65 or older or a man age 70 or older, low testosterone levels, previous bariatric surgery, a history of eating disorders, and long-term smoking or alcohol abuse. Patients who have experienced fragility fractures or multiple fractures should be evaluated for osteoporosis.

Because there are no symptoms for osteoporosis, diagnosing the disease can be challenging. One of the first things our team does is sit down with each patient and discuss their complete medical history.

If there is a pattern of bone breaks or fractures in a patients history, a DEXA scan may be ordered to learn more about the bone’s density or strength, an important step in diagnosing osteoporosis. Bloodwork can also be used to gain more insight into the patient’s medical history.

Untreated osteoporosis can be devastating over time. Because the bone is weakened, the recovery time for an osteoporosis related break can be significantly longer than normal bone breaks. If the cycle of breaks and fractures is repeated, over time osteoporosis can lead to bone collapse, resulting in life-long pain. Patients who do not manage their osteoporosis often have severe mobility issues and may not be able to return to their everyday routine.

The severity of osteoporosis is on a spectrum, ranging from early stage osteopenia to severe cases of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can develop in any bone but happens most often in the bones of the hip, spine, forearm and wrist. Severe injuries to these areas can impact a patient’s ability to live independently, especially for elderly patients.

Depending on the patient and severity, treatment recommendations vary, with some patients needing multiple methods of treatments to manage their condition. Treatment may include medication, injections, physical therapy, and life style changes such as healthy eating habits and consistent exercise. For some patients, follow up appointments may be necessary to ensure the treatment plan is working.

While consistent treatment can reduce the severity of osteoporosis, there is currently is no cure for osteoporosis. That’s why effective management of the condition is so important.

The goal of the Morris Hospital Osteoporosis Management Program is to reduce breaks and fractures through earlier diagnosis and improved management of the condition. Because osteoporosis is hard to diagnose without a fracture or break, it is important for patients to have education on the risk factors.

The Osteoporosis Management team at Morris Hospital is a valuable resource to answer any questions regarding osteoporosis diagnosis or treatment. Patients in the program work directly with a nurse practitioner to review their risk of developing osteoporosis.

For patients diagnosed with osteoporosis, treatment plans are designed based on the severity of the osteoporosis and where it is located.