About Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is the thinning of bone tissue which leads to the loss of bone density over time. It leads to a weak skeleton. Osteoporosis occurs when calcium and minerals are lost from a bone more quickly than the body can replace them. As bones become thinner and less dense, they become more fragile and brittle.
See illustration below.
Eventually, an osteoporotic bone becomes too weak to carry its load. This can lead to fractures or loss of strength or balance, which in itself leads to a greater risk of fractures in older or infirm adults.
Primary osteoporosis, the most common form, results from normal changes in the body due to menopause or aging.
Type 1 primary osteoporosis occurs in woman in the several years before, during and after menopause due to a woman's declining levels of estrogen.
Type 2 primary osteoporosis results from the normal, cumulative effects of aging. This gradual loss of bone density doesn't usually show up until after the age of 75.
Secondary osteoporosis is the other type, and it results from certain medications or medical conditions. Conditions like anorexia, alcoholism, and type one diabetes cause secondary osteoporosis. Cortisone-steroids, thyroid medications and chemotherapy drugs can also increase the risk of this disease.
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Who is likely to be affected by osteoporosis?
10 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis, and 80% of people with osteoporosis are woman.
It is most common in women after menopause, mainly due to the rapid decline in estrogen levels after menopause. Estrogen is an important hormone for maintaining healthy bones and bone mass. When estrogen levels decrease, the bones lose calcium and minerals at a much faster rate. On average, bone loss is approximately 1% - 5% per year after menopause. Men also lose bone as they age, but their bone mass generally remains adequate until later in life.
To learn how to prevent osteoporosis, visit our Preventing Osteoporosis page
What causes osteoporosis?
As we get older we are no longer able to replace bone tissue as quickly as we lose it. In women, the rate of bone tissue loss increases significantly after menopause, when estrogen production stops and bones no longer benefit from its protective effect. Men also suffer from loss of bone tissue, but the rate of loss is much slower than in women.
What bones are affected by osteoporosis?
Any bone can be affected by osteoporosis, but the most common bones affected are found in the wrist, hip, spine, ribs, pelvis and upper arm.
Fractures due to osteoporosis can lead to chronic pain, disability, immobility, loss of independence and even premature death.
The most commonplace bone fractures (due to osteoporosis) occur in the spinal area. These usually go undetected and are called compression fractures. Patients with osteoporosis may develop compression fractures without severe injuries, even in their daily activities. In fact, usually they are not the result of a traumatic accident.
Compression fractures usually do not cause severe or any pain. As a result, spinal fractures are not usually diagnosed until a person's posture begins to stoop, and height is lost.
As the number of spinal compression fractures increases, so do problems. What was once called a "widow's hump" results. Eventually, the abdominal muscles begin to sag and the space between the ribs and the pelvis closes. This can lead to difficulty breathing, chronic heartburn and digestive problems.
The most common injury due to osteoporosis is actually a wrist fracture, which occurs when a patient loses his/her balance, and goes to prevent oneself from falling.
Hip fractures are also common, and quite serious and dangerous. They can lead to immobility, and confinement to a wheelchair or bed.
Often, the effects of a hip fracture can be long lasting. People who suffer hip fractures have difficulty standing up on their own or dressing. Two-thirds of those who suffer a hip fracture never fully recover.