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Depression

Psychological Issues in Osteoporosis

Summary & Participants

Understanding the psychological challenges of osteoporosis - and knowing how to cope with them - are important goals for all women with this disease. In this webcast, the emotional issues facing women with osteoporosis.

Medically Reviewed On: July 18, 2008

Webcast Transcript

VAREN BLACK: Living with pain or disability can be as taxing on the mind as it is on the body, and with osteoporosis, the emotional challenges can begin even before an injury occurs. Doctor, when women are first diagnosed with osteoporosis, how do they usually react?

MELBA OVALLE, MD: Interestingly, many women don't even know they have osteoporosis, because it often is referred to as a silent disease. But when they are diagnosed with osteoporosis, they are often dismayed, very fearful, lots of anxiety tends to set in, because they just can't believe that they have this disease.

VAREN BLACK: Women who have had a fracture can have a number of additional problems. What are those problems?

MELBA OVALLE, MD: Well, some of the most common problems that occur after a fracture are pain -- chronic low back pain, for instance -- the immobility that occurs with the pain, and, most often, trouble with depression that ensues from that lack of independence.

The depression stems from all the physical changes as well as the emotional changes that come along with the disease. The fact that a woman's -- as well as a man's -- appearance may change with osteoporosis, because they get the humped back, the chronic pain that sets in that leads to their immobility, all of that tends to cause a depression in the individual.

VAREN BLACK: And as you say, a lot of it has to do with the fact that they are not independent anymore.

MELBA OVALLE, MD: That's true. Unfortunately patients who sustain a fracture never really recover from a hip fracture, and they end up either in a rehabilitation facility or using an assistive device like a cane or walker to ambulate, so their previous lifestyle has really changed dramatically.

VAREN BLACK: What can patients do? Are there support groups out there available to them?

MELBA OVALLE, MD: There certainly are, and fortunately the most popular, such as the National Osteoporosis Foundation will help patients, as well as support groups become frequently available to patients who might want to tap into them. The physician is often a good advocate for the patient, as well as the nurse, who will teach the patient lifestyle changes, things that they can do to improve their bone health overall. So those organizations are out there for patients to use.

VAREN BLACK: What are your final thoughts concerning osteoporosis?

MELBA OVALLE, MD: I think the greatest message I'd like to send out is the fact that this is totally preventable. This is not a disease that has to happen, and if people follow the general guidelines, such as good calcium intake, good exercise, frequent modification of alcohol or cigarette intake, it doesn't have to happen.