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I have heard that steroids are bad for my bones, but my doctor wants me to take them. What should I do? |
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| Your doctor will be aware of the problems with steroid tablets, but presumably you have a condition that needs that sort of treatment. You are between the devil and the deep blue sea! |
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Talk to your doctor and make sure you are on the lowest effective dose of steroid.
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Ask about whether you need a bone density scan to monitor your bones and whether you should have calcium and vitamin D supplements
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Make sure your diet is well balanced and that you take regular weight bearing exercise, e.g. walking or climbing the stairs.
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If you can, stop smoking and make sure your house is safe so you reduce your risk of falling
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| Remember there are lots of things you can do to counteract the bone effects of the steroids. |
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My mother gets a lot of backpain. Is this osteoporosis? |
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There are lots of things that can cause back pain. One of the commonest is osteoarthritis. |
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This is caused by years of wear and tear on the tiny joints in the spine. It shows up on X-rays. It is usually treated with painkillers and physiotherapy. |
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Osteoporosis can cause the vertebrae in the spine to collapse. This is called a crush fracture. It can be very painful and if there are several, the person will tend to lose height. These fractures can be seen on an X-ray. If there are no crush fractures on X-ray a Deax Scan is required to confirm osteoporosis. Your mother could discuss this with her G.P. |
