Osteoporosis and its Symptoms

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Osteoporosis and its Symptoms

What is osteoporosis

Literally, it means "porous bone". Osteoporosis is a disease which makes bones fragile and easy to fracture; and is mostly found in post-menopausal women. Osteoporosis is caused due to a reduction in bone mass as age increases. Maximum bone mass occurs between ages 20 and 30. After 30, bone mass gradually reduces. In women after menopause, bone mass shrinks even faster. This increases the risk of fracture.

Besides fractures, osteoporosis also causes stooped posture, chronic pain and disability. It shows no symptoms; it progresses painlessly until the bones become so fragile that even routine activities (like coughing or hugging) cause a fracture. In women, this disease is more common than stroke, heart attack and breast cancer combined.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis? How is it diagnosed?

Osteoporosis has no symptoms. A woman can feel perfectly well today and have a hip fracture tomorrow. Even x-rays reveal the disease only after it has reached advanced stage. Bone Mineral Density Test (BMT) or Bone Densitometry is a painless procedure that diagnoses osteoporosis at an early stage when its development can be halted with effective treatment.

How does osteoporosis affect the patient

Fractures of the hip, spine and wrist are the most common consequences. Hip fracture is the most serious since patients become unable to lead a normal life or move freely; often they have to be admitted to a nursing home. When the spine is affected, a simple action like bending to make the bed can be enough to cause a 'crush fracture'. This causes humped back, decreased height and chronic pain. A fall that would just sprain the average person, can easily break one or more bones in somebody with severe osteoporosis.

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