What is the Difference Between Osteoporosis and Scoliosis

The key difference between osteoporosis and scoliosis is that osteoporosis is a medical condition that causes low bone mineral density, while scoliosis is a medical condition that causes sideways curving of the spine.

Osteoporosis and scoliosis are two medical conditions that affect the spine. Osteoporosis causes weak bones, including those bones in the spine. Scoliosis causes abnormal curving in the spine. Osteoporosis can lead to scoliosis, especially in older people. This is because osteoporosis decreases bone density and strength in the spine. Ultimately, this leads to the curving of the spine.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Osteoporosis 
3. What is Scoliosis 
4. Similarities – Osteoporosis and Scoliosis
5. Osteoporosis vs Scoliosis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Osteoporosis vs Scoliosis

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a medical condition that causes low bone mineral density. This leads to weakening bones which results in sudden and unexpected bone fractures. Osteoporosis happens when too much bone mass is lost in the structure of the bone tissue. This is a progressive disease. It is not found until bones are fractured. Approximately 200 million people are estimated to have osteoporosis in the world. In the United States, it affects about 54 million people. Moreover, women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men.

The symptom of this condition may include loss of height, changes in posture, shortness of breath, bone fractures, and intense pain in the lower back. The risk factors for osteoporosis may include women, older people, low calcium intake, Caucasian and Asian women, petite and thin people, medical conditions like an overactive thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands, celiac or inflammatory bowel disease, multiple myeloma, weight loss surgery and hormone treatment for breast, and prostate cancer.

Osteoporosis can be diagnosed through physical examination, bone mineral density (BMD) test, and regular X-ray. Furthermore, treatment options for osteoporosis may include supplements (calcium and vitamin D), diet, hormone and hormone-related therapy, bisphosphonates, biologics (denosumab), and anabolic agents (teriparatide).

What is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a medical condition that causes sideways curving of the spine. Scoliosis causes the spine to appear S or C shaped with a rotation of the vertebrae. Scoliosis is caused by hereditary factors, certain neuromuscular diseases (muscular dystrophy), birth defects affecting the bone and spine, previous surgery on the chest area, injuries or infection of the spine, and abnormalities in the spinal cord. The signs and symptoms of scoliosis include unequal shoulders, one shoulder blade appearing more prominent than the other shoulder blade, unequal waist, one hip higher than the other, one side of the rib cage protruding forward, and a prominent look on one side of the back when bending forward. The risk factors for this condition include age (affects adolescence), sex (girls affected more than boys), and family history.

Moreover, scoliosis can be diagnosed through medical history, physical examination, X-ray, and MRI. The treatment options for scoliosis include wearing braces and surgeries like spinal fusion, expanding rods, and vertebral body tethering.

What are the Similarities Between Osteoporosis and Scoliosis?

• Osteoporosis and scoliosis are two medical conditions that affect the spine.
• Especially in older people, osteoporosis can lead to scoliosis.
• Both conditions may have similar risk factors like age (older adults are affected more) and sex (women are affected more).
• Both conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging tests.
• They are treated through medications and surgeries.

What is the Difference Between Osteoporosis and Scoliosis?

Osteoporosis is a medical condition that causes low bone mineral density, while scoliosis is a medical condition that causes sideways curving of the spine. Thus, this is the key difference between osteoporosis and scoliosis. Furthermore, osteoporosis is caused when too much bone mass is lost and when there are changes in the structure of the bone tissue. On the other hand, scoliosis is caused by hereditary factors, certain neuromuscular diseases (muscular dystrophy), birth defects affecting bone and spine, previous surgery on the chest area, injuries or infection of the spine, and abnormalities in the spinal cord.

The below infographic presents the differences between osteoporosis and scoliosis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Osteoporosis vs Scoliosis

Osteoporosis and scoliosis are two medical conditions that affect the spine. These are two associated medical conditions. This is because osteoporosis can lead to scoliosis, especially in older people. However, osteoporosis is a medical condition that causes low bone mineral density, while scoliosis is a medical condition that causes sideways curving of the spine. So, this is the summary of the difference between osteoporosis and scoliosis.

Reference:

1. “Osteoporosis: Symptoms, Causes, Tests & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. “Scoliosis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Osteoporosis Locations” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “3D Medical Animation scoliosis Intervertibral Disc” By Scientific Animations (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia