Understanding Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is sometimes called a "silent disease." That's because early bone loss may have no symptoms. You may not even know you have it until a bone breaks.

Without treatment, osteoporosis can cause:

	Stooped posture, called "dowager's hump"
	Loss of height
	Broken bones from regular movement, such as leaning over or lifting something, or from a slight fall
	Multiple fractures (broken bones)

The broken bones and fractures that result from untreated osteoporosis can also lead to disability and loss of independence.

Osteoporosis can be diagnosed before the first symptoms appear. The following people should be tested for osteoporosis:

	Women under 65 years of age who have risk factors for osteoporosis
	Women over 65 years of age

Diagnosis is made with a bone mineral density (BMD) test. There are several kinds of BMD tests. DEXA scans and ultrasound scans are the two most common tests and measure the mass (thickness) of bones.

These tests measure the mass in the bones that fracture most often (spine, hip, or wrist). Some newer tests measure bone in the middle finger, heel, or shin. The tests are quick and painless and help to determine which of the following bone mass groups you are in:

	Normal bone mass, or low risk of fracture
	Osteopenia (OS-tee-oh-PEE-nee-uh), or low bone mass, which can lead to osteoporosis if not treated
	Osteoporosis, or very low bone mass, which has a high risk of fracture