En Español (Spanish Version)

by Chwistek M

Symptoms of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is often referred to as a silent disease. The associated bone loss usually occurs without symptoms. Since many people mistakenly believe that all medical conditions cause symptoms. As a result, they do not see a doctor until the condition is far advanced.
Kyphosis
IMAGE
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In the early stages of osteoporosis, there is usually no pain or other symptoms. Once the bones have been weakened, you may have the following symptoms:
  • Collapsed vertebra, which may initially be felt or seen in the form of:
    • Severe back pain
    • Loss of height over time, with stooped posture (kyphosis). With normal aging, everyone has some loss of height. However, a loss of one inch or more is significant and may indicate osteoporosis.
  • Fracture of a bone, such as the wrist or hip, due to the bones becoming over-brittle. This is sometimes the first symptom of osteoporosis.

References

National Institutes of Health website. Available at: http://www.nih.gov/ .

National Osteoporosis Foundation website. Available at: http://www.nof.org/ .

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