You cannot feel or see your bones becoming weak, so osteoporosis is known as a "silent" disease. The bones become porous, and are therefore less dense or strong. In advanced stages, bones may break with the least amount of stress, such as lifting a bag of groceries or tugging on a stubborn door.
After the age of 30, women should talk to their health care professionals about osteoporosis. Older women should be particularly concerned as estrogern deficiency has been identified as a significanty cause of accelerated bone loss in women during and after menopause.
Risk Factors for Osteoporosis
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Small, thin frame or excessive thinness
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Personal and/or family history of broken bones as an adult
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Diet low in calcium
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Smoking
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Excessive alcohol consumption
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Inactive lifestyle
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Low testosterone levels in men
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Advanced age
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Anorexia nervosa
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Long term use of certain medications; prolonged steroid therapy
Preventing Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis may be prevented or the risk reduced with proper diet, exercise and in some cases, medication. Learn more
Detecting Osteoporosis
The most widely known way is the bone density test. There are several different kinds of bone density tests. Learn more
Treating Osteoporosis
Treatment and medications can prevent further bone loss and replace bone mass. Learn more
Strong Women, Strong Bones Program
A national program offered at Forsyth Medical Center. Learn more
