Osteoporosis Symptoms

The first symptom of osteoporosis is often a fracture or a break in the bone. 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 or experiencing any osteoporosis symptoms until they break their hip, spine, or wrist and experience the consequences of this otherwise silent disease.

Data from the NOF show that fractures are common and costly. The estimated direct costs, including hospitals and nursing homes, for osteoporotic and related fractures was $18 billion in 2002. This translates into $49 million each day, and the cost is rising.

Some people have spine fractures that lead to a curve in their upper back that is 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 are back pain and stooped posture. If you have lost more than one inch from your 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. 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.

• 25 percent will need nursing home care or long-term care.
• 50 percent will never regain the function they had before their fracture. Even six months after a hip fracture, only 15 percent of patients can walk across a room unaided.
• 25 percent will die within the first year.
• 20 percent more deaths occur among people with hip fractures compared with those of the same age without fractures.

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 strength of your bones and to determine whether you display osteoporosis symptoms. Ask your doctor about a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. This is a safe, simple, and non-invasive test that takes only a few minutes and measures the amount of bone present, which helps to diagnose osteoporosis or osteopenia. Medicare and many insurance carriers will pay for this test.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all women aged 65 and older should have a bone density test. They further recommend that women aged 60 to 64 with risk factors for osteoporosis should be tested. The NOF suggests stricter guidelines, recommending that all post-menopausal women age 50 and older have a bone density test.

Other women who need to be tested include the following:

• Older post-menopausal women who have fractures or significant height loss
• Women who are considering therapy because they are concerned about developing osteoporosis
• Women who have been taking hormone replacement therapy for a long time