Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis Slideshow Take the Quiz: Test Your Menopause IQ Amazing Vitamin D Slideshow

Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medical Editors: Dennis Lee, MD, and Jay W. Marks, MD

• What is osteoporosis?
• What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?
• What are the consequences of osteoporosis?
• Why is osteoporosis an important public health issue?
• What factors determine bone strength?
• What are risk factors and causes of osteoporosis?
• How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
• Who should have bone density testing?
• How is osteoporosis treated and prevented?
• Exercise, quitting cigarettes, and curtailing alcohol
• Calcium supplements
• Vitamin D
• Hormone therapy (hormone replacement therapy, menopausal replacement therapy)
• Medications that prevent bone loss and breakdown
• Choosing an osteoporosis medication
• Prevention of osteoporosis caused by long-term corticosteroids
• Monitoring osteoporosis therapy medication
• Prevention of hip fractures in elderly people with osteoporosis
• Osteoporosis At A Glance
• Patient Discussions: Osteoporosis - Symptoms at Onset of Disease
• Find a local Internist in your town

Are All Calcium Supplements the Same? Author: Betty Kovacs, MS, RD Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR A Viewer Asks: I've heard that not all calcium supplements are the same. Which over-the-counter vitamins or minerals help build bones? Which brands or types are better than others? Expert Answer: You heard right, not all calcium supplements are the same. The supplements will differ by the kinds of calcium that they contain, the amount that they contain, and any thing else that is added to them (other minerals or vitamins). Along with that, there are other factors that will affect how much of the calcium you will actually absorb, including medications that you are taking, your age, your vitamin D levels, the amount of calcium that you are taking and if you are pregnant. If you have any concerns over any of these, it would be best to speak with your physician before taking anything. The most common forms of calcium in supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. The differences between the two are... Learn more about the different types of calcium supplements » Top Searched Osteoporosis Terms: risk factors, diet, age, prevention, drugs, osteopenia, men, nutrition, menopause, weight-bearing exercise, diagnosis

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in the density of bone, decreasing its strength and resulting in fragile bones. Osteoporosis literally leads to abnormally porous bone that is compressible, like a sponge. This disorder of the skeleton weakens the bone and results in frequent fractures (breaks) in the bones.

Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen, and calcium all of which give bone its strength. Bones that are affected by osteoporosis can break (fracture) with relatively minor injury that normally would not cause a bone to fracture. The fracture can be either in the form of cracking (as in a hip fracture) or collapsing (as in a compression fracture of the vertebrae of the spine). The spine, hips, ribs, and wrists are common areas of bone fractures from osteoporosis although osteoporosis-related fractures can occur in almost any skeletal bone.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis can be present without any symptoms for decades because osteoporosis doesn't cause symptoms until bone fractures. Moreover, some osteoporotic fractures may escape detection for years when they do not cause symptoms. Therefore, patients may not be aware of their osteoporosis until they suffer a painful fracture. The symptom associated with osteoporotic fractures usually is pain; the location of the pain depends on the location of the fracture.

Fractures of the spine (vertebra) can cause severe "band-like" pain that radiates from the back to the sides of the body. Over the years, repeated spinal fractures can lead to chronic lower back pain as well as loss of height or curving of the spine due to collapse of the vertebrae. The collapse gives individuals a hunched-back appearance of the upper back, often called a "dowager hump" because it commonly is seen in elderly women.

A fracture that occurs during the course of normal activity is called a minimal trauma or stress fracture. For example, some patients with osteoporosis develop stress fractures of the feet while walking or stepping off a curb.

Hip fractures typically occur as a result of a fall. With osteoporosis, hip fractures can occur as a result of trivial accidents. Hip fractures also may heal slowly or poorly after surgical repair because of poor healing of the bone.

Osteoporosis - Symptoms at Onset of Disease

The MedicineNet physician editors ask:

The symptoms of osteoporosis can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease?

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