[ The Basics ]  [ How Bones Develop ]  [ How Osteoporosis Develops ]  [ Signs and Symptoms ]

When we think of osteoporosis, we tend to think of an older woman with a loss of height and a hunched-over posture. While these were once considered unavoidable signs of aging, they’re no longer true.

Understanding osteoporosis—including how it is diagnosed and treated—can play an important role in living well, day to day. In this section, you will learn about osteoporosis, its symptoms and its diagnosis. Then you can use this information to build a foundation of knowledge that supports healthy bones and a healthy lifestyle.

Osteoporosis is a term that means "porous bones." It is a skeletal disease affecting women and men. Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones have lost minerals—especially calcium—making them weaker, more brittle, and susceptible to fractures (broken bones). Any bone in the body can be affected by osteoporosis, but the most common places where fractures occur are the back (spine), hips, and wrists.

Each year, osteoporosis causes an estimated 1.5 million fractures. Because the disease makes bones thinner and weaker, fractures can occur during ordinary movements like bending and lifting, or from falls. These fractures can be painful, disfiguring, and often go unnoticed at first. Fractures may also reduce a person's ability to lead an active life. It is estimated that 1 out of every 2 women over the age of 50 will be affected by osteoporosis in her remaining lifetime.

Because of improvements in understanding osteoporosis, it is now treatable and fractures may actually be prevented. Some treatment options available today not only prevent further bone loss, but also help you rebuild your bone mass.

Throughout a lifetime, bones grow as the body grows. Old bone is removed from the skeleton and new bone is added. Throughout childhood and the teen years, new bone is added faster than old bone is removed—a positive bone balance. The result? Your bones mass increases.

This continues through about age 30, when your bones reach what is called "peak bone mass," or maximum density and strength. After this point, bone removal begins to outpace formation of new bone, which, over time, leads to bone loss. The rate of bone loss is greatest in the first few years after menopause. After that, bone loss continues but more slowly.

Following menopause, your ovaries stop producing estrogen, a hormone that helps prevent bone loss. Some people may then develop osteopenia, a condition characterized by low bone density. Osteopenia can eventually lead to osteoporosis, a more severe condition with even lower bone density. For someone with osteoporosis, low bone density makes bones brittle and weak, and the risk of fractures rises.

Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D, even during the childhood and teen years, can contribute to osteoporosis. And if bones did not reach the highest possible peak bone mass during developmental years, osteoporosis is even more likely to develop.

In addition, certain diseases, eating disorders, medications, or medical treatments known to cause bone loss may also cause osteoporosis.

With osteoporosis, bone loss can occur with no obvious symptoms. While your bones may not feel weaker, you may experience symptoms without realizing that they're associated with osteoporosis. For example, a loss of height, change in posture, or severe back pain may be caused by osteoporosis.

Unfortunately, many people do not discover that they have osteoporosis until a bone fracture occurs. Early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis may help lessen the risk of fracture (broken bone).