Osteoporosis can occur at any age, although the risk for developing the disease increases as you get older. For many women, the disease begins to develop a year or two before menopause. Other factors to consider include: Osteoporosis is most common in non-Hispanic white women and Asian women.
While osteoporosis is most common in older people, it sometimes affects young people, including premenopausal women in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
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.
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.
Weighted exercises can help in maintaining BMD in postmenopausal women and increasing BMD of the spine and hip in women with osteopenia and osteoporosis. The exercise program must be incorporated into a lifestyle change and be lifelong due to the chronic nature of bone loss in older women.
“Red Flags” That Warrant Further Assessment for Osteoporosis or Other Bone Diseases. Low body weight is another important “red flag” signaling the potential for osteoporosis; low body weight is associated with lower BMD and greater bone loss, even in premenopausal women (Bainbridge et al. 2004).
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.
When should you call the doctor about osteoporosis? If you have risk factors and are concerned about osteoporosis, ask your healthcare provider about being screened, even if you are not as old as 65 (for women) or 70 (for men). Osteoporosis can be serious. Fractures can alter or threaten your life.
But it's possible for children and teens to develop juvenile osteoporosis. This most often happens in children between ages 8 and 14. It sometimes develops in younger children during growth spurts. It's a serious problem, because it strikes when a child is still building up their bone strength.
It's natural to be concerned about how osteoporosis will affect your daily life. But having osteoporosis doesn't always mean giving up activities and interests that are important to you. In general, life should be able to go on as normal – perhaps with just a few adjustments.
A lifelong lack of calcium plays a role in the development of osteoporosis. Low calcium intake contributes to diminished bone density, early bone loss and an increased risk of fractures. Eating disorders. Severely restricting food intake and being underweight weakens bone in both men and women.
It's incurable. However, there are ways to prevent it, ways to slow down its progression, and — if you catch it early enough — ways to counteract it. Preventing osteoporosis starts early in your childhood and continues throughout your life.
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.
Risk factors for osteoporotic fractures include parental history of hip fracture, smoking, excess alcohol consumption, and low body weight. In addition, menopausal status in women is also an important consideration.
Pain is not a symptom of osteoporosis in the absence of fractures. Following a fracture, bones tend to heal within six to eight weeks but pain and other physical problems, such as pain and tiredness or fatigue, may continue.
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.
Transient osteoporosis of the hip is a rare condition that causes temporary bone loss in the upper portion of the thighbone (femur). People with transient osteoporosis of the hip will experience a sudden onset (start) of pain that worsens with walking or other weight-bearing activities.
According to the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment, dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) still represents the "gold standard" for diagnosis of osteoporosis and fracture risk prediction.
It may be done using X-rays, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA or DXA), or a special CT scan that uses computer software to determine bone density of the hip or spine. For various reasons, the DEXA scan is considered the "gold standard" or most accurate test.
A bone density test cannot be taken at home.
If a person has osteoporosis, they may benefit from taking calcium and vitamin D supplements. A 2016 meta-analysis of osteoporosis studies found that people who took these supplements were 15% less likely to have bone fractures. It is important to include calcium and vitamin D from food sources.
Examples include walking, dancing, low-impact aerobics, elliptical training machines, stair climbing and gardening. These types of exercise work directly on the bones in your legs, hips and lower spine to slow mineral loss.
Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and climbing stairs, can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss. Avoid substance abuse.