Osteoporosis and Bone Pain?>

Chronic pain of any kind can impact a person's life greatly. Getting discouraged is easy, but letting pain take over your life should never be considered. A number of strategies exist to help people who are coping with bone pain and osteoporosis.

Coping strategies can be physical or psychological. Pain is a physical issue, but thoughts and feelings can also affect how people cope with bone pain. Often, depression or other psychological disorders can worsen pain. When those underlying disorders are treated, pain can lessen or even disappear.

The important thing is to see a medical professional for any chronic bone pain. Doctors and physical therapists can provide helpful recommendations on ways people cope with bone pain and can tailor a plan to fit a specific person's needs and preferences.

For some people, medications or pain clinics can be the most helpful. A doctor can prescribe pain medication, such as narcotics, aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to lessen pain.

For cases of extreme chronic bone pain or osteoporosis, a pain clinic may be recommended. Pain clinics use a variety of pain control techniques and create specialized plans for pain sufferers.

Physical methods of coping with bone pain address the bone pain itself. Certain coping methods will be more effective for certain people, so trying out a few methods may be necessary to find the best results for a specific person.

Physical coping methods include:

• Acupuncture or acupressure
• Braces
• Exercise
• Heat or ice packs
• Massage therapy
• Physical therapy
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.

In this section, we'll discuss the various methods that are available to help you cope with bone pain. We'll also provide you with tips on self-care for bone pain and will offer you a list of questions you can take with you to your next doctor's appointment.

Self-Care for Bone Pain

Managing and coping with bone pain can be a lot easier if people know simple steps they can take to reduce symptoms and prevent injury. If you have osteoporosis, consider some self-care tips:

• When lifting, bend at your knees, not at your waist. Also, lift with your legs and work to keep your upper back straight.
• If you have osteoporosis, don't lean over when doing such activities as reading, eating or writing. Always keep your back erect.

In addition, to prevent falls, you should also:

• Avoid using polishes or products that could make your floors slippery.
• Avoid walking outside when it is dark, especially in areas that are poorly lit.
• Keep floors free from standing water.
• Place non-slip mats in your bathtubs and showers.
• When walking outside, try to stay on grass or other soft surfaces. Avoid cracked sidewalks and streets.

A little self-care goes a long way to preventing additional bone pain and damage.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you or a loved one has received an osteoporosis diagnosis or if you think you may have osteoporosis, you likely have a number of questions. In order to learn as much about the condition as possible, you'll need to effectively communicate with your physicians.

To get the most out of your next doctor's appointment, it might help to bring a list of questions with you to your doctor's office.

Resources

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Staff. (2009). Bone resource page. Retrieved April 2, 2010, from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Web site: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/default.asp.

Wrong Diagnosis Staff. (n.d.). Osteoporosis. Retrieved April 2, 2010, from the Wrong Diagnosis Web site: http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/osteoporosis.htm.