Osteoporosis
Overview
Osteoporosis is a condition in which the body's production of new bone material does not keep up with the loss of old material, leading to bones becoming weak and/or brittle.
Common symptoms
Osteoporosis often shows no symptoms until a bone becomes fractured.
Treatment options
Treatment includes medications, a healthy diet, and weight-bearing exercise to help prevent bone loss or strengthen already weak bones.
Bone Health Clinic
The Bone Health Clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic, involving SIU Orthopedics, Internal Medicine (Rheumatology), and Obstetrics & Gynecology. The mission and purpose of this clinic is to provide primary and secondary fracture prevention, as well as bone fragility treatment, care, and education to at-risk patients in the central and southern Illinois area. Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease in humans and represents a significant health issue. It is a costly, and sometimes fatal, disease.
The Bone Health Clinic seeks to identify patients at risk for fragility fractures and develop a ‘one-stop shop’ system for education and treatment. Once a patient is at risk, the patient’s bone density is scanned using SIU’s DXA (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) machines, and then the patient is scheduled to see one of the Bone Health Clinics providers. The physicians discuss various treatment options and develop a plan of care specific to each patient, factoring in the patient’s lifestyle habits and family history. The long-term, overall goal of the Bone Health Clinic is to decrease the occurrence of fragility fractures through treatment and education.
Osteoporosis Clinic at Rheumatology
Once bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, you may have signs and symptoms that include:
- Back pain, possibly caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra
- Fractures that occur easily at the hip, wrist, and spine
- Loss of height over time
SIU Medicine Division of Rheumatology offers comprehensive care for those who have
Osteoporosis and other bone disorders. Our goal is to evaluate and treat patients as soon
as possible to avoid symptoms of this silent disease.
We will begin offering an Osteoporosis Clinic on the first Thursday of every month at the Moy Building.
Our services include:
- Prevention screenings
- Long-term medical therapy and management
- Educational tools including nutritional counseling, physical therapy and exercises
Offers virtual care
