Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPreventing Complications
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Preventing Complications
Osteoporosisis a medical condition that leads to weakening of the bone structure in your body. Also called “brittle bone disease,” osteoporosis makes bone more fragile and increases your chance of sustaining a broken bone. Bone has a lattice-shaped structure, much like a honeycomb. When osteoporosis is a problem, there is less supporting bone and larger gaps in the lattice, leading to a weaker structure. Because of this weakening, bones can be broken with minimal trauma.
Broken bones can be a serious problem; while some of these fractures can be managed with simple treatments, others may require surgery and prolonged rehabilitation. Because of these concerns, everyone should understand their chance of developing osteoporosis and what steps they can take to prevent the development or progression of osteoporosis.
Four Important Things to Know About Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis Symptoms
Osteoporosis is a silent disease, meaning it can occur with few or no symptoms. Unless a complication such as a fracture occurs, there is little warning that osteoporosis exists. There are signs that you can look out for to helpdetermine thelikelihoodthat you might develop osteoporosis, however. These signs are known as risk factors for the development of osteoporosis.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
Risk factor for osteoporosis include:
If osteoporosis is suspected, or if an individual is determined to have a high risk for the development of bone thinning, a test called abone density testcan be performed to assess the bone density.Typical X-rays are not a very good test for determining bone density. While you may hear a healthcare provider stating the bone looks thin on an X-ray, the bone density test is a much more accurate test to assess bone health.
One of the challenges of bone loss is that the condition can’t easilybe reversed, but it can be slowed down.Treatmentsare focused on efforts to maintain bone density and prevent continued loss of bone. There are some instances where bone density can actually increase, but again, the emphasis is usually placed on efforts to prevent further bone loss.
A number of lifestyle modifications are effective. These are steps everyone can take to improve their bone health:
Medications can be effective treatments for osteoporosis, and there are a number of options for different situations. The options include:
The ideal medication may be different for different individuals. While these medications can be effective at increasing bone density, they also havepossible side effects. Because of these potential side effects, the downside of the drug must be carefully weighed against the need to increase bone density to determine the safest treatment plan. An open discussion with your healthcare provider can help you understand the pros and cons for your specific situation.
Broken bones are the often theend result of osteoporosis. The goal of treatment is to prevent sustaining a broken bone, especially a broken hip. Some of the more common fractures that occur as a result of osteoporosis include:
Anybroken bonecan be the result of osteoporosis. While broken bones are typically the result of major trauma to the body, such as automobile collisions or falls off a ladder, in people with osteoporosis,these fractures can occur with much less energy.
Osteoporosis Fractures: Treatment & Prevention
The major problem with osteoporosis is that it increases your chance of sustaining a fracture. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent the progression of osteoporosis and your risk of sustaining a fractured bone.
Most osteoporosis-related fractures occur as the result of injuries and falls around the house. In addition to taking the above steps to improve bone health, you can also take precautions to prevent the likelihood of sustaining an injury that leads to a fracture
Setting up your house to minimize your chances of a fall, having your vision checked, and ensuring medications are administered correctly can all be helpful.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Compston JE, Mcclung MR, Leslie WD.Osteoporosis. Lancet. 2019;393(10169):364-376. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32112-3Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. JAMA. 2001;285(6):785-95. doi:10.1001/jama.285.6.785National Osteoporosis Foundation.What is Osteoporosis and What Causes It?National Osteoporosis Foundation.What Women Need to Know.National Institutes of Health.Osteoporosis: Peak Bone Mass in Women.Varner JM.Osteoporosis: a silent disease. Ala Nurse. 2012;39(3):10-1.Cauley JA.Defining ethnic and racial differences in osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2011;469(7):1891-9. doi:10.1007/s11999-011-1863-5Lewiecki EM.Clinical applications of bone density testing for osteoporosis. Minerva Med. 2005;96(5):317-30.Demontiero O, Vidal C, Duque G.Aging and bone loss: new insights for the clinician. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2012;4(2):61-76. doi:10.1177/1759720X11430858Warriner AH, Patkar NM, Curtis JR, et al.Which fractures are most attributable to osteoporosis?. J Clin Epidemiol. 2011;64(1):46-53. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2010.07.007Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. OthoInfo: Osteoporosis. http://www.orthoinfo.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00232National Osteoporosis Foundation. What is Osteoporosis and What Causes It? https://www.nof.org/patients/what-is-osteoporosis/
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Compston JE, Mcclung MR, Leslie WD.Osteoporosis. Lancet. 2019;393(10169):364-376. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32112-3Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. JAMA. 2001;285(6):785-95. doi:10.1001/jama.285.6.785National Osteoporosis Foundation.What is Osteoporosis and What Causes It?National Osteoporosis Foundation.What Women Need to Know.National Institutes of Health.Osteoporosis: Peak Bone Mass in Women.Varner JM.Osteoporosis: a silent disease. Ala Nurse. 2012;39(3):10-1.Cauley JA.Defining ethnic and racial differences in osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2011;469(7):1891-9. doi:10.1007/s11999-011-1863-5Lewiecki EM.Clinical applications of bone density testing for osteoporosis. Minerva Med. 2005;96(5):317-30.Demontiero O, Vidal C, Duque G.Aging and bone loss: new insights for the clinician. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2012;4(2):61-76. doi:10.1177/1759720X11430858Warriner AH, Patkar NM, Curtis JR, et al.Which fractures are most attributable to osteoporosis?. J Clin Epidemiol. 2011;64(1):46-53. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2010.07.007Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. OthoInfo: Osteoporosis. http://www.orthoinfo.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00232National Osteoporosis Foundation. What is Osteoporosis and What Causes It? https://www.nof.org/patients/what-is-osteoporosis/
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Compston JE, Mcclung MR, Leslie WD.Osteoporosis. Lancet. 2019;393(10169):364-376. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32112-3Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. JAMA. 2001;285(6):785-95. doi:10.1001/jama.285.6.785National Osteoporosis Foundation.What is Osteoporosis and What Causes It?National Osteoporosis Foundation.What Women Need to Know.National Institutes of Health.Osteoporosis: Peak Bone Mass in Women.Varner JM.Osteoporosis: a silent disease. Ala Nurse. 2012;39(3):10-1.Cauley JA.Defining ethnic and racial differences in osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2011;469(7):1891-9. doi:10.1007/s11999-011-1863-5Lewiecki EM.Clinical applications of bone density testing for osteoporosis. Minerva Med. 2005;96(5):317-30.Demontiero O, Vidal C, Duque G.Aging and bone loss: new insights for the clinician. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2012;4(2):61-76. doi:10.1177/1759720X11430858Warriner AH, Patkar NM, Curtis JR, et al.Which fractures are most attributable to osteoporosis?. J Clin Epidemiol. 2011;64(1):46-53. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2010.07.007
Compston JE, Mcclung MR, Leslie WD.Osteoporosis. Lancet. 2019;393(10169):364-376. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32112-3
Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. JAMA. 2001;285(6):785-95. doi:10.1001/jama.285.6.785
National Osteoporosis Foundation.What is Osteoporosis and What Causes It?
National Osteoporosis Foundation.What Women Need to Know.
National Institutes of Health.Osteoporosis: Peak Bone Mass in Women.
Varner JM.Osteoporosis: a silent disease. Ala Nurse. 2012;39(3):10-1.
Cauley JA.Defining ethnic and racial differences in osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2011;469(7):1891-9. doi:10.1007/s11999-011-1863-5
Lewiecki EM.Clinical applications of bone density testing for osteoporosis. Minerva Med. 2005;96(5):317-30.
Demontiero O, Vidal C, Duque G.Aging and bone loss: new insights for the clinician. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2012;4(2):61-76. doi:10.1177/1759720X11430858
Warriner AH, Patkar NM, Curtis JR, et al.Which fractures are most attributable to osteoporosis?. J Clin Epidemiol. 2011;64(1):46-53. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2010.07.007
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. OthoInfo: Osteoporosis. http://www.orthoinfo.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00232National Osteoporosis Foundation. What is Osteoporosis and What Causes It? https://www.nof.org/patients/what-is-osteoporosis/
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