Osteomalacia

Osteomalacia

Osteomalacia differs from the most common condition, which is the low level of vitamin D. Osteomalacia also differs from osteoporosis, which causes osteoporosis. We will discuss the definition of osteoporosis in detail and explain the symptoms, causes, and treatment.

Definition of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, which affects adults, can be defined as a defect caused by insufficient or inability of the body to feed the bones of the skeleton with the necessary minerals necessary for its strong and healthy survival, making the bones soft and easy to break. Osteoporosis mainly occurs if there is not a sufficient amount of vitamin D in an individual's diet, or more commonly when the body cannot absorb and manufacture vitamin D properly, as vitamin D is an important vitamin in order to absorb the calcium component necessary to keep the bone strong and healthy. Also, osteoporosis can occur when a condition of calcium or phosphorous is developed in the body.

In the case of treatment of osteoporosis caused by vitamin D deficiency in the body in infected adults, recovery may occur within six months of treatment. As for what happens in children, it may be different. Where the disease can stop at some point during treatment, and the deformations that occurred previously in the skeleton may become permanent, it should be noted that it is now rare in western countries, but it is still somewhat common in developing countries.

Causes that may lead to osteomalacia

• Vitamin D deficiency
• Low consumption of dietary sources of vitamin D.
• Low exposure to direct sunlight
• Intestinal malabsorption of vitamin D
• Tumors
• Vitamin D metabolism disorders.
• Kidney and metabolic or respiratory acidosis.
• Liver diseases.
• Some side effects of pharmacological drugs.
• Lack of phosphorous content of food sources.
• Some digestive diseases.

Symptoms of bone softening

You may not notice any symptoms in the early stages of osteoporosis, but their signs are visible in X-ray images or the results of other diagnostic tests. As osteoporosis progresses, you will start to feel bone pain and muscle weakness. Weak pain associated with osteoporosis often affects the lower back, pelvic bones, circumference, legs, and ribs. Pain may get worse at night, or when pressure increases on bone, and rarely disappears completely at rest. Osteoarthritis and weak legs can worsen during walking, making it slower and more difficult.

Osteomalacia treatment

Treatment for osteomalacia is based on eliminating problems that affect vitamin D metabolisms, such as liver or kidney disease, or a decrease in phosphate levels in the body. And softening of bone is controlled within weeks to months of using dietary supplements that contain vitamin D, which is the matter That must be continued to maintain normal levels of vitamin D in the blood, in addition to increasing daily consumption of calcium, either through diet or supplements, and some other treatments can be resorted to, such as wearing stents to reduce bone deformities and increasing exposure to sunlight to help produce Vitamin D. In severe cases, your doctor may need surgery to correct the bone deformity.

References

Definition & Facts for Celiac Disease. (2020, June 24). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/celiac-disease/definition-facts

Osteopontin and the dento-osseous pathobiology of X-linked hypophosphatemia. (2017, February 1). ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S8756328216303520?via%3Dihub