Everything about Oosteomalacia

Osteomalacia is from a Greek root which means bones and soft. This medical issue can result in muscle weakness, pain, not able to walk, and risk of bone fracture. If the problem is due to vitamin D deficiency then it is called hypovitaminosis D osteopathy. In this guide, we will tell you everything in detail.

What is Osteomalacia?

Osteomalacia is referred to as bones getting soft and mostly the reason is Vitamin D deficiency. When the bones of children and young adults get soft due to this at the time of growth the bowing problem can occur and this is very common in weight-bearing age. If the problem is triggered in adults then it can lead to fracture. Make sure you visit the ortho doctor to get a reliable treatment plan for your problem.

Symptoms

• Symptoms from this condition will not occur if the condition is not severe. People can have symptoms like muscle weakness and bone pain. In some cases, the symptoms can stay or go away very quickly and they might get worse in the winter weather.
• This condition can make it difficult for people to walk. They might even face an issue when they want to get up from the chair or stepping up & down from stairs. The pain can increase when you put weight on bones and then try to walk.
• If the condition is very severe then they might have a hunched back. The risk of fracture is also more as compared to any other situation.

If you have any of the symptoms or any other then make sure to visit the ortho centre and confirm what problem you are experiencing.

Causes of Osteomalacia

Vitamin D is essential for the bones so its deficiency will trigger this health condition. Some of the common reasons are:

• Diet contains Vitamin D is the low amount
• Sunlight exposure is very less
• Celiac disease
• Medications like anticonvulsants
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Surgical resection of stomach or small intestine

This health problem can also get triggered when the minerals are deficient in the body which is needed to make the bones hard. In this case, the phosphate deficiency can trigger the issue and some causes are:

• Certain genetic hereditary syndromes affecting phosphate
• Rare kinds of tumor
• Intake of antacids in excess
• The certain rare genetic kidney issue

Test to diagnose the problem

• Vitamin D (often very low)
• Alkaline phosphatase (usually high)
• Kidney function test
• Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
• Calcium
• Phosphate

Treatment

Once the underlying cause is known treatment is given and in most cases Vitamin D therapy is effective. For a couple of weeks or months, the patient is given a high dose of Vitamin D and you might need calcium supplements. Work with your doctor and they will give you the best treatment plan.