You can experience bone pain if you have certain conditions or if you just have weak bones in general. As you age, you become more susceptible to bone loss, which can cause pain. Consuming dairy products can help keep your bones strong and healthy, which might help prevent pain associated with thin, weak, aging bones.
Bone Pain
Bone pain might develop slowly and vary in severity. If your bones are progressively breaking down at a fast rate or if you have a bone disease or condition, the pain might increase significantly and become worse very rapidly. Some people are born with bone conditions and could endure a lifetime of pain and suffering. If your bones break easily or constantly ache with pain, you could have developed a medical condition that requires prompt treatment.
Bone Conditions
It's possible that you have developed osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, Paget's disease or bone cancer. You might have been born with a bone disorder such as osteogenesis imperfecta. Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetic condition that affects your body's ability to produce collagen and can leave you with weak, brittle bones, teeth and a curved spine.
Dairy
It's very important that you consume enough dairy products to prevent conditions such as osteoporosis. The recommended daily allowance of dairy for children is approximately 2 cups per day. Children over the age of 9 and all adults are advised to consume 3 cups of dairy per day, according to MyPyramid.gov. Since some dairy products can be high in fat, opt for low-fat or low-calorie choices to avoid gaining unnecessary weight. If your bones carry too much for a long period, it could weaken your bones faster and worsen the pain. If you're lactose intolerant, you might think it's difficult to get in your daily servings of calcium from dairy products, but it's not. Eat other foods that are rich in calcium such as baked beans, canned salmon, orange juice or soy milk. It's very important to consume the daily recommended allowance of calcium each day to help keep your bones strong and healthy.
Considerations
Talk to your health care provider if you begin to notice that your bone mass is diminishing at a significant rate. You might see a significant amount of bone loss if you begin to shrink in height. This can indicate bone loss or compressed vertebrae in your spine. You might be able to stop or reverse some bone loss, depending on the amount you have lost. Your health care provider might recommend calcium supplements in addition to the calcium you receive through your diet to ensure that your bones stay healthy. Inform your doctor of how often you're in pain and how severe the pain is, as he might recommend certain medications to help lessen your pain.
References
- MyPyramid.gov: Inside the Pyramid: How Much Food From the Milk Group is Needed Daily?
- MedlinePlus: Bone Diseases
- MedlinePlus: Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- MedlinePlus: Paget's Disease
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Bone Cancer
- Spine-Health.com: 10 Ways to Get Enough Calcium if You're Lactose Intolerant
