The patient is Mrs. P.T.S (70 years old, Cang Long district, Tra Vinh province). 3 years ago, the patient came to Hoan My Cuu Long Hospital (Can Tho city) with sudden, severe pain in her back, making it difficult to turn around, unable to sit or walk.
The patient was examined by doctors, had an MRI of the lumbar spine, and measured osteoporosis... The results showed that the patient had severe osteoporosis and multiple fractures of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae.
Doctors treated the patient with osteoporosis by administering anti-osteoporosis drugs combined with painkillers and calcium. After 1 week of treatment, the patient was discharged and instructed to visit the outpatient clinic.
After 3 months of care and appropriate nutritional guidance, the patient's back pain improved, he was able to walk and take care of himself. After that, the patient continued to follow the instructions of a calcium-rich diet, exercise, regular check-ups, and periodic infusion of anti-osteoporosis medication once a year for 3-5 years.
In October 2024, the patient returned to the hospital for a third dose of anti-osteoporosis medication. Currently, the patient's health is stable, the pain in his joints is much less, and he does not need to use painkillers.
Specialist Doctor Ngo Thi Yen Nhi - Department of Neurosurgery - Musculoskeletal, Hoan My Cuu Long Hospital - said that osteoporosis progresses silently and has no obvious symptoms until a fracture occurs. Fracture (hip, vertebral area) is the most serious complication of osteoporosis because it causes pain, risk of disability and death.
Pediatricians recommend that patients being treated for osteoporosis need to take appropriate and continuous medication and adhere to treatment to reduce the risk of fractures and re-fractures.
In cases of high risk of osteoporosis such as: the elderly, patients using corticosteroids for a long time, smoking, drinking alcohol, short stature, low weight, chronic joint disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease... should be examined to screen and treat osteoporosis.
A survey of bone density screening of nearly 100,000 Vietnamese people conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition in 2023-2024 showed that 50% of people aged 40 and over are at risk of osteoporosis and 27% have osteoporosis. Therefore, people need to raise awareness in preventing and treating this disease.
