Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDiagnosisStagesPreventing Bone LossNext in Osteoporosis GuideOsteoporosis: Prognosis, Complications, and Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Diagnosis
Stages
Preventing Bone Loss
Next in Osteoporosis Guide
There are four stages ofosteoporosis, a common condition in which the bones get weaker and more fragile over time.
The first two stages are more like precursors to the actual disease and don’t cause symptoms; instead, these changes are diagnosed with a bone density test. The last two stages can cause pain,frequent fractures or breaks, and even deformities from bone loss.
This article will explain the stages of osteoporosis, as well as how it is diagnosed and what you can do to prevent and treat the condition.
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How Do You Determine the Severity of Osteoporosis?
Bone density measurements are taken with a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. This test is similar to an X-ray, but it provides a reading of the mineral density in each square centimeter of bone.
Bone mass and density are expressed with a measurement called aT-score. The lower the T-score, the lower your bone mass is.
All women who are age 65 and older should be screened for osteoporosis with a bone density test, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). People with certain risk factors, or some women who have been through menopause but are under age 65, should be tested early or more frequently.If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis and are taking medications to treat the condition, your bone density scan should be repeated every one to two years.
All women who are age 65 and older should be screened for osteoporosis with a bone density test, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). People with certain risk factors, or some women who have been through menopause but are under age 65, should be tested early or more frequently.
If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis and are taking medications to treat the condition, your bone density scan should be repeated every one to two years.
Stages of Osteoporosis
Here’s what to know about the four stages of osteoporosis:
Stage 1
When you’re young, your bones grow faster than they break down. At some point in your 20s and 30s, bone resorption and new bone formation reach an equilibrium—meaning that you lose and form bone at the same rate. This can be considered the first stage of osteoporosis because the formation of bone is no longer outpacing bone loss.
You will have no symptoms at this stage. Your bone density scores (T-score) will be normal and range from +1 to -1.
Stage 2
At this stage, you still have no symptoms, but your bone loss is now happening faster than your bone growth. If you experience an injury or have bone mass testing done for another reason, you might be diagnosed withosteopenia, or low bone mass. With this type of bone loss, your bones are weakening, but you are not classified as having osteoporosis. With osteopenia, you have a T score between -1 and -2.5..
Stage 3
When you have reached this stage, you officially have osteoporosis. Again, you may not notice any symptoms, but you are at a higher risk of breaks and fractures even from simple injuries like hitting your leg against a door. In this stage, your T-score is -2.5 or lower.
Stage 4
How Bad is Stage 4 Osteoporosis?It can be extremely difficult to live with stage 4 osteoporosis. Everyday activities are painful at this stage, and the high risk of serious fractures can limit your ability to move freely or be independent. While this is not a terminal condition, studies have shown that the increased risk of injury at stage 4 osteoporosis can affect life expectancy.
How Bad is Stage 4 Osteoporosis?
It can be extremely difficult to live with stage 4 osteoporosis. Everyday activities are painful at this stage, and the high risk of serious fractures can limit your ability to move freely or be independent. While this is not a terminal condition, studies have shown that the increased risk of injury at stage 4 osteoporosis can affect life expectancy.
Can You Work With Osteoporosis?
How Can I Stop Bone Loss?
Treating osteoporosisusually involves takingnutritional supplementsto boost your bone health, strengthening the muscles that help support your bones, and taking medications that can reduce bone loss or increase bone density.
Lifestyle Measures
Your age, your sex, and your genetics are not factors that you can control, but there are several lifestyle factors that contribute to osteoporosis that you can control. These include:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), low bone mass can be found in almost half of all Americans over the age of 50. Osteoporosis, the advanced stages of low bone mass, develops in nearly 13% of Americans after age 50.Osteoporosis affectswomen more often than men: Almost 20% of people over age 50 with osteoporosis are women, while men account for less than 5%.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), low bone mass can be found in almost half of all Americans over the age of 50. Osteoporosis, the advanced stages of low bone mass, develops in nearly 13% of Americans after age 50.
Osteoporosis affectswomen more often than men: Almost 20% of people over age 50 with osteoporosis are women, while men account for less than 5%.
Supplements
Vitamin Dandcalciumsupplements are often used to treat or prevent bone loss.Below are the usage recommendations for these supplements (but always check with your health provider for the dosages that are right for you):
If you can, it’s best to obtain these nutrients directly from your diet. Try to includefoods that are rich in calcium and vitamin Dand use supplements only to make up for shortages. Your provider may also recommend other dosages of these supplements for you based on your health and risk factors and taking into account any medications or supplements you are already taking.
Natural Treatment Options for Osteoporosis
Exercise
You cannot directly exercise your bones, but you can strengthen the muscles that are around them. While staying active overall is most important, there are particular activities that can help preserve your bone density.
Types of exercise that support your bones include:
These exercises should be done for at least 30 minutes three times a week. However, you should avoid exercises that could increase your risk of injury or falls.
How Is Osteoporosis Treated?
Medications
Medicationsare sometimes used to help slow or stop bone loss, or to help improve overall bone health. You may not need to take these medications forever. In some cases, you may need to take the medication for only a few years, depending on your risk.
Examples of medications that may be used to treat osteoporosis andbone lossinclude:
How Estrogen Affects Osteoporosis and Bone Health
Summary
There are four stages of osteoporosis. The first two do not cause symptoms but can be identified with a bone scan. The latter two stages can cause symptoms such as pain, susceptibility to fractures, and deformities of the bone.
Talk to your healthcare provider about prevention and screening for osteoporosis. Identifying and modifying risk factors in the early stages of the disease can help slow or stop its progression.
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5 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.National Institutes of Health.Bone mass measurement: What the numbers mean.National Osteoporosis Foundation.Types of bone density tests.Abrahamsen B, Osmond C, Cooper C.Life Expectancy in Patients Treated for Osteoporosis: Observational Cohort Study Using National Danish Prescription Data.J Bone Miner Res. 2015;30(9):1553-1559. doi:10.1002/jbmr.2478Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Osteoporosis or low bone mass in older adults: United States, 2017–2018.Penn Medicine.Osteoporosis.
5 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.National Institutes of Health.Bone mass measurement: What the numbers mean.National Osteoporosis Foundation.Types of bone density tests.Abrahamsen B, Osmond C, Cooper C.Life Expectancy in Patients Treated for Osteoporosis: Observational Cohort Study Using National Danish Prescription Data.J Bone Miner Res. 2015;30(9):1553-1559. doi:10.1002/jbmr.2478Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Osteoporosis or low bone mass in older adults: United States, 2017–2018.Penn Medicine.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.
National Institutes of Health.Bone mass measurement: What the numbers mean.National Osteoporosis Foundation.Types of bone density tests.Abrahamsen B, Osmond C, Cooper C.Life Expectancy in Patients Treated for Osteoporosis: Observational Cohort Study Using National Danish Prescription Data.J Bone Miner Res. 2015;30(9):1553-1559. doi:10.1002/jbmr.2478Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Osteoporosis or low bone mass in older adults: United States, 2017–2018.Penn Medicine.Osteoporosis.
National Institutes of Health.Bone mass measurement: What the numbers mean.
National Osteoporosis Foundation.Types of bone density tests.
Abrahamsen B, Osmond C, Cooper C.Life Expectancy in Patients Treated for Osteoporosis: Observational Cohort Study Using National Danish Prescription Data.J Bone Miner Res. 2015;30(9):1553-1559. doi:10.1002/jbmr.2478
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Osteoporosis or low bone mass in older adults: United States, 2017–2018.
Penn Medicine.Osteoporosis.
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