About Osteoporosis
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis weakens the bones, making them more likely to break (fracture). Osteoporosis is often called the “silent disease” because bone loss occurs without symptoms. People may not know they have osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump, or fall causes a fracture. Osteoporosis can affect any bone in the body, but fractures occur most often in the hip, wrist and spine. A fracture in the spine may cause severe back pain, loss of height, or spinal deformities such as stooped posture or dowager’s hump.
What are the risk factors for developing osteoporosis?
Some people are more likely to develop osteoporosis than others. Factors that increase the chance of developing osteoporosis are called “risk factors.”
Risk factors include:
- Being female
- Having a thin and/or small frame
- Getting older
- Having a family member with osteoporosis
- Leading an inactive lifestyle
- Eating a diet low in calcium and vitamin D
- Using alcohol on a regular basis
- Smoking tobacco
- Going through menopause
- Low testosterone levels (in men)
- Being of Caucasian or Asian ancestry, although African Americans and Hispanic Americans are at risk, as well
- Using certain medicines, such as corticosteroids and anti-seizure medications
- Having a medical condition which impairs calcium absorption such as disorders of the stomach and intestines, liver, or kidney
This information has been approved by Jennifer Janssen, MD (April 2008).
