Pain has been reported in up to 62% of female patients with osteoporosis. There are various causes for pain in osteoporosis, including concurrent degenerative disk disease, osteoarthritis and vertebral fractures. Osteoporotic back pain is usually acute, of sudden onset and caused by a fracture in the lower thoracic or lumbar vertebrae. On examination, there will be a painful spot in the area of the back where the vertebral fracture has occurred. The muscles next to the spine will be very tense and painful to touch. This pain can last for long periods ranging from a few weeks to months. In all patients an X-ray of the affected skeletal area should be taken to demonstrate or rule out a vertebral fracture and to document the extent of destruction of bone.
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Chapter 12 Management of Pain in Osteoporosis
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Bartl, R., Frisch, B. (2009). Management of Pain in Osteoporosis. In: Osteoporosis. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79527-8_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79527-8_12
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