Symptoms of Osteoporosis
Known as the “silent thief”, osteoporosis causes bones to deteriorate over many years without any noticeable signs or symptoms. Until a bone breaks, many people have no idea that they have osteoporosis.
Unfortunately, even after a fragility fracture, osteoporosis often goes undetected or untreated. By the time this happens, the disease is already fairly advanced.
The Bones Most at Risk
The most commonly affected sites for fractures are:
Causes of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis affects both men and women and can begin to impact bone health at any age. Most people begin to lose bone density in their mid-30s. However, no one cause is to blame for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis occurs when bone loss outpaces the growth of new bone. Bones become porous, brittle and prone to fracture.
Some risk factors that put people at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis include:
- Age
- Sex
- Having a parent who has had a hip fracture
- Smoking
- Medical conditions
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