Osteomalacia is the softening of the bones. Osteomalacia’s etymology is from the words Osteo: bones, and Malakos: soft. This disease is notable for making the bones weak due to vitamin D deficiency. The soft bones affect the growth of children and young adults. It causes bowing down during their growth period. Thin and soft bones affect bone formation and may lead to bone fractures.
SYMPTOMS
There are only a few common symptoms of osteomalacia.
One of the most common is by having the bones fractured that easy. Muscle weakness is also a notable symptom of this disease. This is possible due to our muscles being attached to the bones. People with osteomalacia might suffer from difficulties in walking. A person can develop waddling gait with osteomalacia. Waddling gait is a way of walking caused by weakened muscles.
Pain in the hips is also widespread for people with osteomalacia.
Aching within the hips can spread to the different parts of the body, such as:
The pain due to softened bones and weak muscles can be worse during the night. It can also be painful when you put pressure on the affected bones.
DIAGNOSIS
Healthcare providers conduct blood tests to diagnose if there is an existing condition. If the results are low level of the following, then you might have osteomalacia (low levels of)
Healthcare providers also run tests to check on the alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes. If there is a high level of these, then that is a sign of having osteomalacia.
Moreover, healthcare providers also check on the levels of the parathyroid hormone. This blood test identifies if there is a high level of this hormone. A high level of parathyroid hormone suggests that there is a low level of vitamin D.
One way of determining bone malformation and the bone structure is by having an X-ray. If there are slightly visible cracks in the bones, then it might cause osteomalacia. These cracks are identified as a Looser transformation zone. With these small cracks, fractures can be possible.
Another way of determining if there is osteomalacia is by having a bone biopsy. Healthcare providers will get sample tissues of the bone and the muscles. Samples are studied under the microscope to determine abnormalities.
Diagnosing osteomalacia is usually done by having an X-ray and blood test. These tests are enough to determine if you have osteomalacia.
MEDICATIONS
Early detection only needs oral supplements like vitamin D, phosphate, or calcium.
There are available supplements of vitamin D and calcium online and as well as in the pharmacies. These are the first treatments if there is an existing absorption problem. In some cases, vitamin D is injected intravenously.
The sunlight is a good source of vitamin D. Staying outside under the sunlight can help us get enough vitamin D.
Severe cases of osteomalacia are usually seen in children. Healthcare providers use braces to help in treating osteomalacia. Others need to undergo surgery to correct the bone deformation.
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