Maintaining bone health becomes increasingly important with age, as the risk of developing bone-related issues, along with fractures and bone collapse, increases as one gets older. Experts suggest that taking up balance and stability exercises can help older adults limit and prevent falls, which may lead to injuries. However, certain diseases can cause bone loss. So here are a few health conditions that could affect the bones, along with common symptoms and treatment options.

Osteopetrosis
This condition is also known as the Marble bone disease or the Albers-Schonberg disease. It is characterized by increased bone density, making the bones extremely heavy and brittle. They also become weak and incapable of supporting the body. Not only does osteoporosis affect the bones, but it also attacks the bone marrow, which is crucial for fighting infections in the body. This marrow is also responsible for carrying oxygen and helping control bleeding in the body.

Symptoms: Fractures, deafness, facial nerve paralysis, low blood cell production, and loss of the cranial nerve function that can lead to blindness are common symptoms of osteopetrosis.

Treatment options: The doctor may recommend hormone therapy for both men and post-menopausal women as a treatment option. Some other invasive therapy options as well, which can be prescribed by the doctor if necessary. Physical therapy can also help deal with the symptoms.

Osteoporosis
In this condition, the bones weaken, and the bone mass deteriorates with age, reaching a point of breakage. Osteoporosis mainly develops in the hip, spine, and wrist regions. Health professionals recommend undergoing tests to check the bone density as one gets older, and they can then prescribe the right treatment plan to manage the symptoms associated with the condition.

Symptoms: People with the condition can experience a loss of height over a period, stooped posture, brittle bones prone to breakage, and frequent back pain caused by collapsed vertebrae or a fracture.

Treatment options:
Evenity: This injection is specifically used to treat osteoporosis in women who have already reached menopause and are known to be at a higher risk of developing fractures. Evenity is recommended when the patients cannot use other treatment options or cannot see effective results with the use of those options.
Forteo: This is also used for postmenopausal women who are at high risk of fractures. Forteo is also recommended for male patients who have hypogonadal osteoporosis. This injectable treatment option helps in building bones and increasing bone mass rather than preventing bone breakdown.

Other treatment options involve hormone therapy that may help with bone density. This is recommended for both men and women, especially women who are postmenopausal, as their estrogen production drops in this period. However, one should discuss this option with their doctor to understand the side effects of this option. Some doctors may also recommend raloxifene, which imitates the properties of estrogen for building bone density but has lesser side effects.

Osteonecrosis
Osteonecrosis or avascular necrosis is a condition that leads to the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply. This disruption in the blood supply causes tiny gaps and breaks to develop in the bone. Over time, these cracks weaken the bone, forcing it to collapse or break down. This process that takes years to develop and degrade bone quality, so one may not be able to detect symptoms in the early stages is tough. While this condition can affect people of all ages, it is common in the age group 30–50 years.

Symptoms: The signs can be noticed in the later stages when bone degradation is already underway. Some common symptoms include joint pain in the hip, groin, thigh, and buttock. Feet, knees, and shoulder may also be affected, and one could experience severe pain experienced while lifting weights.

Treatment options: Doctors recommend exercising under supervision and plenty of rest to deal with the pain. Exercises may be suggested to improve the range of motion of the joints and muscles and avoid injuries. Another option could be electrical stimulation, as electrical currents can help with bone regrowth in the damaged area. This can be conducted using electrodes that are attached to the skin or directly administered to the affected area via surgery.

Type 1 diabetes
While diabetes affects the blood sugar levels in the body, studies suggest that those affected can also lose bone mass and have less bone density over a long period. This is because the condition is associated with the production of insulin—a hormone that helps keep blood sugar in check and also helps with bone growth.

Symptoms: Feeling more thirsty than usual, pangs of hunger, frequent urination, blurry vision, mood swings, irritability, weakness, and fatigue are common symptoms.

Treatment options: Doctors may recommend treatment options to keep the blood sugar in check. This includes eating right, nutritious foods which do not spike the blood sugar levels in the body, taking insulin, exercising regularly to ensure a healthy waist-to-hip ratio, and keeping track of macronutrients.

Lupus
This autoimmune condition can lead to complications like osteoporosis. In this disease, the body attacks itself by mistaking healthy cells for unhealthy ones, putting one at high risk of developing diseases.

Symptoms: People with lupus can experience painful and swollen joints, fever, tiredness, muscle pain, rashes, and even hair loss.

Treatment options: As it is an autoimmune disease, treatment can vary as it is intended to treat symptoms that show up during initial diagnosis.