Listen to pronunciation. (OS-tee-oh-muh-LAY-shuh) A
condition in adults in which bones become soft and deformed because they don’t have enough calcium and phosphorus
.
What does Softbones mean?
What is
osteomalacia
? Osteomalacia means “soft bones.” Osteomalacia is a disease that weakens bones and can cause them to break more easily. It is a disorder of decreased mineralization, which results in bone breaking down faster than it can re-form. It is a condition that occurs in adults.
What is osteomalacia in biology?
noun, plural: osteomalacias.
The softening of bones due to defective bone mineralization
. Supplement. This condition results from a deficiency in vitamin D or calcium, and mostly occurs in adult women.
What is osteomalacia and rickets?
Osteomalacia is
the name of a condition where bones become soft and weak
. This means they can bend and break more easily than normal. The most common cause is not having enough vitamin D. Rickets is the name of a similar condition that affects children. Share This Section.
What is osteoporosis and osteomalacia?
Osteomalacia is more common in women and often happens during pregnancy. It’s not the same as osteoporosis. Both can cause bones to break. But while osteomalacia is a problem with bones not hardening,
osteoporosis is the weakening of the bone
.
What diseases cause soft bones?
Osteomalacia
refers to a marked softening of your bones, most often caused by severe vitamin D deficiency. The softened bones of children and young adults with osteomalacia can lead to bowing during growth, especially in weight-bearing bones of the legs.
What happens if osteomalacia is left untreated?
In adults, untreated osteomalacia can
cause an increased chance of breaking bones and a low level of calcium in bones
, particularly in old age. A good diet is important in order to prevent rickets/osteomalacia. Calcium can be found in cow’s milk and dairy products.
How is osteomalacia diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider may need to do
a bone biopsy
to diagnose osteomalacia. They’ll insert a needle through your skin and muscle and into your bone to get a small sample. They’ll put the sample on a slide and examine it under a microscope.
Can osteomalacia be treated with vitamin D?
Fortunately,
getting enough vitamin D through oral supplements for several weeks to months can cure osteomalacia
. To maintain normal blood levels of vitamin D, you’ll likely have to continue taking the supplements.
Can pellagra be cured?
Oral therapy with nicotinamide or niacin
usually is effective in reversing the clinical manifestations of pellagra. Because patients are often malnourished and have other vitamin deficiencies, provisions for a high-protein diet and the administration of B-complex vitamins are needed for complete recovery.
How do we get vitamin D?
- Spend time in sunlight. Vitamin D is often referred to as “the sunshine vitamin” because the sun is one of the best sources of this nutrient. …
- Consume fatty fish and seafood. …
- Eat more mushrooms. …
- Include egg yolks in your diet. …
- Eat fortified foods. …
- Take a supplement. …
- Try a UV lamp.
What is the best source of vitamin D?
- oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel.
- red meat.
- liver.
- egg yolks.
- fortified foods – such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals.
How do you treat osteomalacia?
If you have osteomalacia – the adult form of rickets that causes soft bones –
treatment with supplements will usually cure
the condition. However, it may be several months before any bone pain and muscle weakness is relieved. You should continue taking vitamin D supplements regularly to prevent the condition returning.
How can you tell the difference between osteoporosis and osteomalacia?
In osteoporosis, the bones are porous and brittle, whereas
in osteomalacia, the bones are soft
. This difference in bone consistency is related to the mineral-to-organic material ratio.
Is osteoporosis caused by vitamin D deficiency?
The consequences of vitamin D deficiency are secondary hyperparathyroidism and bone loss, leading to osteoporosis and fractures, mineralization defects, which may lead to osteomalacia in the long term, and muscle weakness, causing falls and fractures.
How long does it take to develop osteomalacia?
The most common symptoms of osteomalacia, such as sore bones and muscles, are vague enough that it can sometimes take
2–3 years
to diagnose the condition.
