Osteopenia Treatment

• The most common ‘symptom' (no pain or discomfort is observed in the early stages).
• A fracture which occurs after a minor fall or bump that would not normally have caused a fracture in a normal bone.
• Low back pain that is not severe and is not known to be caused by a specific problem, sometimes associated with minor alterations in the spine.
• A reduction in bone strength, which may only be detected on an X-ray, not on a day-to-day basis..

Since it is often not obvious, a bone density test is often ordered based on age and risk factors, rather than by the presence of a symptom. Women are advised to begin screening at an earlier age, typically at 50, and men at an age of 65 to 70, if there is a family history or risk factors.

The most frequent causes and risk factors are:

Your bones are continually being remodeled. It is during the first few years of your life up to possibly your mid-20s or 30s that you add bone, rather than losing it. Then, the balance gradually goes the other way. When the natural loss accelerates, osteopenia appears. Contributing factors include:

• Age: As people get older, their bones become denser.
• Gender: Women lose bone density more quickly after menopause due to a decrease in oestrogen.
• Diet low in calcium and vitamin D: Lacks of these cause your bones to be under supplied.
• Sedentary behaviours – bones require weight bearing activity to remain strong; lack of movement will hinder this.
• Excessive alcohol intake and smoking: Both can directly affect your body's ability to create new bone.
• Family history: A parent with osteoporosis or a low-impact fracture raises your own risk.
• Some medicines and diseases: Over time, certain medications or diseases may also deplete bone mineral density without your knowledge, such as long-term use of steroids, thyroid issues, or certain digestive or autoimmune disorders.
• Small body size: There tends to be less peak bone mass to begin with in individuals with a smaller body size.

Prevention of Osteopenia

This is where PREVENTION is really important, as for many people, this is still "reversible territory.

1. Consume adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D via dairy products, leafy greens, nuts, eggs, and some appropriate sun exposure.
2. Include walking, light strength training or climbing stairs for weight-bearing activity in your week so as to build and maintain bone.
3. Reduce smoking and drinking alcohol, as they subtly weaken bones over time.
4. If you are over 50 years, post-menstrual or have risk factors, obtain a bone density scan to get a clear picture of your situation.
5. Talk with your doctor about any medication you take that is taken for a long period of time, including steroids, as some can have a negative effect on bone density over time.

However, don't wait until pain occurs the only way to monitor osteopenia is to have regular check-ins.

The best way to treat osteopenia in Pune is to undertake sustainable lifestyle changes, and not proceed immediately to a course of medication that is not always necessary in this phase.

About Dr. Rajeev Keloth Nambiar

In many ways, osteopenia is the optimal moment to intervene, prior to bone loss and even before the time comes where medication should be discussed. Dr. Rajeev Keloth Nambiar (BAMS, MD) of Dr. Nambiar's Advanced Ayurveda in Pune treats osteopenia as a warning sign that the bone tissue (Asthi Dhatu) has begun to decrease, typically accompanied by a mild imbalance in Vata, and this is exactly where his approach to osteopenia treatment in Pune steps in early, before it progresses to osteoporosis.

At this point, the emphasis is on building up instead of just slowing down. This implies Ayurvedic formulations for nourishment of bones, diet plan according to the body's capacity to genuinely absorb it and a basic way of life that can reconstruct bone resilience within months instead of the years of delaying.

Dr. Nambiar treats bone, joint and spine conditions for over 26 years, and he sees the condition of osteopenia frequently, typically by chance when patients receive a routine scan. His philosophy is to take advantage of that early warning as much as possible and let it remain an early warning, rather than a diagnosis of osteoporosis.