Loose finger joints

Among middle-aged and elderly people, loose finger joints often occur. So what causes loose finger joints? Generally speaking, the most common cause of loose finger joints is osteoporosis. Since middle-aged and elderly people generally suffer from calcium deficiency, they are likely to suffer from osteoporosis. Therefore, the following article will focus on providing you with relevant knowledge about osteoporosis.

symptom

1. Pain

The most common symptom of primary osteoporosis is low back pain, which accounts for 70%-80% of pain patients. The pain spreads to both sides along the spine. It is relieved when lying on your back or sitting, and is aggravated when standing upright or stretching back or standing or sitting for a long time. The pain is mild during the day and worsens at night and when waking up in the early morning. It is aggravated by bending over, muscle movement, coughing, or straining during bowel movements. Generally, bone pain occurs when bone loss exceeds 12%. In the elderly with osteoporosis, the vertebral trabeculae atrophy and decrease in number, the vertebral bodies are compressed and deformed, the spine is flexed, and the lumbar spine muscles contract doubly to correct the flexion, causing muscle fatigue and even spasm, resulting in pain. Recent thoracic and lumbar compression fractures can also cause acute pain, with severe tenderness and percussion pain in the corresponding spinous processes. Generally, the pain will gradually subside after 2-3 weeks, and some patients may develop chronic low back pain. If the corresponding spinal nerves are compressed, radiating pain in the limbs, sensory and motor disorders in both lower limbs, intercostal neuralgia, and pain behind the sternum similar to angina pectoris may occur, and upper abdominal pain similar to acute abdomen may also occur. If the spinal cord and cauda equina are compressed, it will also affect the bladder and rectal functions.

2. Shortened stature and hunchback

It often occurs after pain. The front part of the vertebral body is mostly composed of cancellous bone, and this part is the pillar of the body and bears a heavy weight, especially the 11th and 12th thoracic vertebrae and the 3rd lumbar vertebra, which have a greater load and are easily compressed and deformed, causing the spine to lean forward and the back curvature to increase, forming a hunchback. With age, osteoporosis worsens and the hunchback curvature increases, resulting in significant knee joint contracture. Each person has 24 vertebrae. In normal people, each vertebra is about 2 cm high. When the elderly suffer from osteoporosis, the vertebrae are compressed, each vertebra is shortened by about 2 mm, and the average height is shortened by 3-6 cm.

3. Fracture

This is the most common and serious complication of degenerative osteoporosis.

4. Decreased respiratory function

Compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, kyphosis, and chest deformity can significantly reduce vital capacity and maximum ventilation volume. Patients often experience symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing.