Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSources of Osteoporosis PainManaging PainWhen to Seek CareFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Sources of Osteoporosis Pain
Managing Pain
When to Seek Care
Frequently Asked Questions
In this article, learn more about osteoporosis, its sources of pain, and how to cope.
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Pain from osteoporosis varies in intensity and depends on its exact cause. Typically, fractures account for osteoporosis-related pain, but certain medications can also cause pain.
About 2 million broken bones per year are due to osteoporosis in the United States.
Stress Fractures
People with osteoporosis develop stress fractures more easily because their bones are more brittle and unable to absorb this extra force.
Compression Fractures
Acompression fractureoccurs when the vertebrae (bones in the spine that stack on top of each other and protect the spinal cord) become weakened and collapse into each other. Osteoporosis is the most common cause of spinal compression fractures.
Compression fractures cause back pain that can either come on slowly or be sudden and severe. Some compression fractures also press on the nerves, which can cause nerve pain. Additionally, some people with compression fractures develop a hunchback (calleddorsal kyphosis), which can also cause pain and limit movement.
How to Recognize and Treat a Closed Fracture
Trabecular Microfractures
Trabecular bone is the porous, spongy bone tissue inside a bone that surrounds the marrow. Microfractures of this tissue are common among people with osteoporosis.
What Causes Bone Pain in the Legs?
Medication Side Effects
Ironically, some medications thattreat osteoporosismay cause bone pain as a side effect.
Medications that treat osteoporosis, whose side effects may include bone, muscle, and joint pain, include:
How to Manage Osteoporosis Pain
There are several ways to manage osteoporosis-related pain, including medication, physical therapy, exercise, and more.
Medication
Sometimes,analgesic(pain-relieving) medications treat osteoporosis-associated pain. This could result from sudden pain from a broken bone or chronic pain. Different medications may be recommended based on pain level, cause, and duration.
Medications that treat osteoporosis pain may include:
How Adjuvant Analgesics Are Used to Treat Chronic Pain
Heat and Ice
Applying heat or cold therapies may help relieve some pain from osteoporosis. Examples include heating pads, ice packs, hot or cold plunge pools, and ultrasound. Alternating hot and cold may also help.
Consulting a healthcare provider before using heating or cooling therapies is recommended. Some methods may be contraindicated; for example, it is better to use cold therapy immediately after breaking a bone to reduce inflammation and swelling.
Thermal therapies may not be recommended for people with nerve involvement. Using very cold or very hot packs may also cause burning or other side effects.
Bracing
A brace is a wearable device that supports your bones and muscles and limits movement to varying degrees. Sometimes, your healthcare provider may recommend a brace to heal and support osteoporosis-associated fractures. Back braces are commonly recommended for people with compression fractures.
Did I Bruise My Bone or Break It?
Physical Therapy
Your healthcare provider may recommendphysical therapyif you have pain fromosteoporosis-related fractures. A physical therapist can prescribe a personalized evidence-based exercise regimen that includes weight-bearing and resistance exercises designed to manage your pain, prevent further postural deformity, and preventbone density loss.
Occupational Therapy
You may also be referred to anoccupational therapistwho specializes in enabling people to perform activities that are meaningful to them.
If you have osteoporosis, they may help you modify your home environment, recommendadaptive equipment, or recommend ways of performing your activities of daily living—such as showering, dressing, or eating—in a way that reduces pain. They may also offer advice about how to reduce your risk of falls, which are extremely dangerous for people with osteoporosis.
Exercise
Exercise, particularly weight-bearing and resistance exercises, can help slow bone loss. Some activities with evidence to support them for osteoporosis include:
However, exercise can also be painful for people with osteoporosis and may even lead to the stress fractures they try to avoid. That’s why consulting with a physical therapist or another orthopedic health professional before starting a new exercise program with osteoporosis is recommended.
Complementary Therapy
Some complementary approaches may also help you manage osteoporosis-related chronic pain.
Acupuncture, a Chinese medicine that involves sticking thin needles into strategic “energy channels” along the body, can improve pain and bone mineral density among people with osteoporosis.
Other recommended therapies include the following:
Causes of Osteoporosis Pain and What You Can Do
Osteoporosis is considered a “silent disease” until it’s not. There are usually no signs of osteoporosis until you get an often very painful bone fracture. Screening for osteoporosis is important and can help prevent fractures and osteoporosis pain.
Consider speaking to a healthcare provider if you have new pain (whether it comes on suddenly or gradually) or posture changes. They can perform a bone density scan if you are not already diagnosed with osteoporosis.
What Your Osteoporosis T-Score Says About Your Risk
Summary
It is essential to diagnose and treat osteoporosis to prevent painful fractures. Some treatments, such as medication, physical or occupational therapy, heat or ice therapy, bracing, and exercise, can help manage chronic pain due to osteoporosis.
A Word From Verywell
You are not alone if you have osteoporosis and pain. Osteoporosis itself is not a painful condition. However, it can lead to stress fractures, compression fractures, and other fractures that can be incredibly painful when they occur or even cause long-term pain.
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe best way to heal a fractured bone quickly is to follow the advice of your orthopedic surgeon. This may include following a brace or cast schedule, physical therapy, medications, weight-bearing restrictions, and more.It can take several weeks to several months for a fracture to heal. Healing time can depend on the type of fracture, location, complexity, and other factors.Yes, vitamins and supplements can help increase bone density. Vitamin D and calcium are particularly important, as are vitamins B, C, E, and K.
The best way to heal a fractured bone quickly is to follow the advice of your orthopedic surgeon. This may include following a brace or cast schedule, physical therapy, medications, weight-bearing restrictions, and more.
It can take several weeks to several months for a fracture to heal. Healing time can depend on the type of fracture, location, complexity, and other factors.
Yes, vitamins and supplements can help increase bone density. Vitamin D and calcium are particularly important, as are vitamins B, C, E, and K.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Osteoporosis Foundation.Osteoporosis fast facts.
Cedars Sinai.Compression fracture.
National Health Service.Osteoporosis.
Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation.Side effects of bisphosphonates (alendronate, ibandronate, risedronate and zoledronic acid).
Paolucci T, Saraceni V, Piccinini G.Management of chronic pain in osteoporosis: challenges and solutions.J Pain Res. 2016;9:177-186. doi:10.2147/JPR.S83574
NYU Langone.Nonsurgical treatment for spinal compression fractures.
Xu G, Xiao Q, Zhou J, et al.Acupuncture and moxibustion for primary osteoporosis: an overview of systematic review.Medicine. 2020;99(9):e19334. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000019334
Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation.Overall health.
Ahmadieh H, Arabi A.Vitamins and bone health: beyond calcium and vitamin D.Nutr Rev. 2011;69(10):584-598. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00372.x
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