You can have osteoporosis at any age and not know it -- there are often no symptoms.
For most people, osteoporosis begins after age 50. However, there are some risk factors that can make someone more likely to develop osteoporosis at an earlier age.
Diagnosis and assessment
Bone mineral density follows a normal distribution, and low bone density, defined as a T-score of less than 1.0 standard deviation below the young adult mean is present in about 15% of young, healthy women aged between 30 and 40 years.
The short answer is no, osteoporosis cannot be completely reversed and is not considered curable, but there are a number of health and lifestyle adjustments you can make to improve bone loss. Your provider may also prescribe you medications to help rebuild and slow down bone loss.
"Genetics, medications such as prednisone, certain diseases such as celiac and Crohn's disease, and cancer treatmentsare all possible causes of early-onset osteoporosis."
Although a broken bone is often the first sign of osteoporosis, some older people develop the characteristic stooped (bent forward) posture. It happens when the bones in the spine have broken, making it difficult to support the weight of the body. Osteoporosis can be treated with bone strengthening medicines.
Osteoporosis is not a terminal illness and does not directly influence life expectancy. However, having a fracture can affect it. For example, a 2021 study found that older adults living in a care facility who experienced a hip fracture had a 25% death rate after 3 months.
Bone loss begins to occur at an approximate rate of 0.25% a year and is variable depending on many genetic and environmental factors. This may be considered the second stage towards osteopenia and/or osteoporosis. It is important to understand that this is a perfectly normal part of the aging process.
Remaining life expectancy of a man at age 50 years who began osteoporosis treatment was estimated to be 18.2 years (26.4 years for women) and 7.5 years for a man at age 75 years (13.5 years for women), according to researchers.
Osteoporosis does not directly affect life expectancy. However, it increases the risk of fractures, which may directly affect overall health and mortality.
Currently, screening for osteoporosis is recommended for women who are 65 years old or older and for women who are 50 to 64 and have certain risk factors, which include having a parent who has broken a hip. You can use the FRAX Risk Assessment tool to learn if you should be screened.
There is no cure for osteoporosis, but treatment can help to slow or stop the loss of bone density and reduce the risk of fractures. This may involve medications, diet changes, exercise, and steps to prevent fracturing a bone.
Sudden, severe back pain that gets worse when you are standing or walking with some relief when you lie down. Trouble twisting or bending your body, and pain when you do. Loss of height.
People with osteoporosis may not have any symptoms. Some may have pain in their bones and muscles, particularly in their back. Sometimes a collapsed vertebra may cause severe pain, decrease in height, or spinal deformity.
Things that make you more likely to get the condition include: a family history of osteoporosis or fractures. a history of eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia. a history of other diseases, including kidney disease, celiac disease, thyroid disease, and connective tissue disorders.
Osteoporosis is the major cause of fractures in postmenopausal women and in older men. Fractures can occur in any bone but happen most often in bones of the hip, vertebrae in the spine, and wrist.
significant loss of range of motion or contracture. significant strength differences between sides. back pain (there is a high prevalence of back pain in patients with osteoporosis, which is related to limited functional ability and the pain may need management first) inability to master a hip hinge.
Osteoporosis is often confused with osteoarthritis since often people have both. While osteoarthritis is a complex disease that causes joint pain and reduces joint mobility and function, osteoporosis is the loss of bone mass which causes risk of fractures.
Getting too much vitamin D, especially above 4,000 IU per day, can be dangerous. If you already have osteoporosis, keep in mind that vitamin D and calcium alone are not enough to treat the disease. You'll need to take them along with other medications your doctor prescribes.