Osteoporosis

This edition has been supported by a grant from The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust.

Osteoporosis is a largely ignored condition that affects over 3 million people in the UK, with women being more at risk; a condition which, because the symptoms are difficult to notice by patients, is often referred to as the ‘silent disease’. In this edition of Airing Pain, we learn why prevention, assessment and management are key factors to deal with this condition and develop a correct model of care in the health services.

First-off, Paul Evans speaks to Dr Emma Clark, Consultant in Rheumatology & Osteoporosis at North Bristol Trust, to find out about the causes and characteristics of osteoporosis. She discusses how osteoporosis can be ignored or misdiagnosed as osteoarthritis, as well as ways in which we can look after our bone health. Dr Clark also talks about how she is currently developing a clinical tool for primary care professionals to help them identify signs of osteoporosis when they meet with their patients.

Paul also speaks to Sarah Leyland, Nurse Consultant at the Royal Osteoporosis Society, about the new focus on prevention, mainly in terms of lifestyle changes and developing a model of care designed to identify people who are at higher risk of osteoporotic fractures. She also describes the range of physical exercises she has developed to reduce the risk of fractures and help with pain after fractures.

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