What is Osteomalacia?
Osteomalacia is a condition caused by a severe deficiency of vitamin D. 1/6 of the adult UK population is estimated to be somewhat deficient in vitamin D, and you are at higher risk of this if you have darker skin, less exposure to sunlight, or a diet that is low in calcium or vitamin D.
Signs and Symptoms of Osteomalacia
Early osteomalacia may be asymptomatic, but as the condition progresses, you may experience:
joint and bone pain
muscle cramps, pains, and weakness
bone fractures
pins and needles, especially in the hands and feet
a change in the way you walk
Although osteomalacia is something your osteopath can’t cure, it is relevant to osteopathy as the symptoms it causes may lead someone to seek osteopathic treatment. Widespread aches and pains may initially be mistaken for a rheumatological issue, or fibromyalgia, so we as osteopaths need to be aware of it. If you have been diagnosed, we need to know so that we can avoid techniques that may be too strong for bones that are susceptible to fractures.
How Does it Happen?
Minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are needed to strengthen bone. Vitamin D is important in helping your body to absorb the calcium you consume. If the minerals are not reaching the bones, it may be because you aren’t consuming enough, or that your body is not able to absorb it from your food in high enough quantities.
In children, osteomalacia has a more familiar name: rickets. This disease is rarely encountered in the UK now, as we have better access to good, varied foods, and the knowledge of how to prevent its development.
Similarities with Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is another condition of bone integrity. To compare the two, osteomalacia is where new bone forms but does not harden as it should, whereas osteoporosis is where new bone does not form quickly enough to keep up with the usual breakdown.
Both conditions can predispose someone to fractures, and a broken bone might be what leads someone to discover their condition in either case.
Preventing Osteomalacia
The key preventative measure is to make sure you’re eating a complete and balanced diet to provide you with the range of minerals you need for strong bones. Cereals and flour are usually fortified with nutrients including vitamin D, as are some dairy products. Sunlight is also important, as the vitamin D you need in order to absorb calcium is only present in food in low quantities.
The NHS recommends considering vitamin D supplements throughout autumn and winter. It also recommends that pregnant or breastfeeding women and breastfed babies take supplements too. Formula is already supplemented with vitamin D, so speak to your GP or health visitor about supplementing your baby if you formula feed or combi-feed.
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