Osteoporosis Signs & Symptoms

While osteoporosis symptoms are few, the first sign of osteoporosis is often a bone fracture. Fractures may trigger serious health problems, including disability and even premature death. Many women and men go through life without knowing they have lost bone mass until they break their hip, spine, or wrist and experience the consequences of this otherwise silent disease.

Some people have spine fractures that lead to a curve in their upper back, sometimes called a dowager's hump. The first suggestion of spinal fractures and one of the first symptoms of osteoporosis may be when you realize you are not as tall as you used to be. Other signs and symptoms are back pain and stooped posture. If you have lost more than one inch from your (accurately measured) height as a young adult, you may wish to speak with your doctor about testing for osteoporosis.

More serious problems may occur after a hip fracture, because some people lose the ability to walk normally, perform activities of daily living, or live independently. According to data from the NOF, the 300,000 Americans who have hip fractures each year face a higher risk of serious disability or death.

If you are a man or woman at risk for bone loss — and especially if you have experienced a fracture after age 50 — you should have a bone mineral density test to monitor the mass of your bones. Ask your doctor about a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. This safe, simple, and non-invasive test takes only a few minutes and measures the amount of bone present in the spine and hips, which helps diagnose osteoporosis or osteopenia. Medicare and many insurance carriers will pay for this test.

The NOF recommends that all women aged 65 and older, and men aged 70 or older, should have a bone density test. They further recommend that younger postmenopausal women and men aged 50 to 69 with risk factors for osteoporosis should be tested.

Others who need to be tested include the following:

• Adults with a condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis, or taking a medication, such as corticosteriods, that may contribute to bone loss
  
  
• Anyone whose doctor is considering prescribing osteoporosis drug therapy
  
  
• Postmenopausal women who are discontinuing estrogen therapy