Osteomalacia is a disease in which the bones become soft. This generally happens because of defects in the mineralization of the bones. The softening of the bones also occurs in the children but it is called as rickets and is not included under Osteomalacia. Osteomalacia generally refers to the softening of the bones in the adults.
Osteomalacia can be diagnosed based on the symptoms it causes. The softening of the bones i.e. the Osteomalacia leads to a number of effects on the body of the patient. The most general effect of Osteomalacia is pain in the bones. The pain occurs during movements or if some pressure is applied on them. Therefore, the patient faces problems in moving. This pain can range from mild pain to very severe chronic pain. In cases where the pain is very severe, the patient is not able to move. Such unexplainable condition may be considered as some a symptom of Osteomalacia.
Apart from the bones, the Osteomalacia also affects the muscles. They become weak. Therefore, when the patient does some heavy or prolonged work they may start paining. Most generally, Osteomalacia causes pain in the legs, upper thighs, groin, knees, and feet. These are the most important parts of the body, which are involved in lot of daily activities. Therefore, such pain in the muscles, which generally occurs along with the pain in the bones, can be a sign of Osteomalacia.
In some cases, as Osteomalacia makes the bones soft, they tend to break or fracture easily. A frequent reoccurrence of fractures is also one of the symptoms of Osteomalacia.
Apart from the symptoms of Osteomalacia, the other methods, which are used, for the diagnosis of Osteomalacia are x-rays and blood tests. The x-rays provide the texture of the bones. Therefore, the doctors can detect any abnormality in the mineralization and density of bones. On the other hand, the blood tests test levels of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D in the blood. In addition to these substances, the substances as alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone levels are also useful to diagnose Osteomalacia.
Generally, during diagnosis, if a person shows the symptoms mentioned above then he is advised to have the x-ray or blood tests. The diagnosis of Osteomalacia proves to be very useful as good treatments are available for Osteomalacia and so if it is diagnosed the patient can take the benefit of these methods and get him cured.