The body constantly absorbs and replaces bone tissue. With osteoporosis, new bone creation doesn't keep up with old bone removal.
Many people have no symptoms until they have a bone fracture.
Treatment includes medications, healthy diet, and weight-bearing exercise to help prevent bone loss or strengthen already weak bones.
Very common
More than 3 million US cases per year
Treatment can help, but this condition can't be cured
Requires a medical diagnosis
Lab tests or imaging always required
Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong
Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle — so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses such as bending over or coughing can cause a fracture. Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the hip, wrist or spine.
Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn’t keep up with the loss of old bone.
Osteoporosis affects men and women of all races. But white and Asian women — especially older women who are past menopause — are at highest risk. Medications, healthy diet and weight-bearing exercise can help prevent bone loss or strengthen already weak bones.
Caused due to multiple reasons, following are some of the causes:
- Lack of exercise
- Malnutrition – poor nutrition and good health due to inflammation or other disease condition
- Chemotherapy drugs – chemical drugs used to treat various types of cancer
- Low calcium diet
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Chronic inflammation due to rheumatoid arthritis
- Hyperthyroidism – a condition in which too much thyroid hormone is produced by thyroid gland
- Low testosterone (sex hormone) levels in men
- Genetic disorders inherited from family
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