Since a woman has a greater than 50 percent chance of having a fracture, it is important to evaluate and treat as early as possible. Osteoporosis is often called a silent disease because bone loss occurs without symptoms. The first symptom is often a fracture. Typically considered a “woman’s disease”, about two million of those with the disease are men. In fact, about 30 percent of hip fractures occur in men and one in four men over 50 years of age will experience an osteoporotic fracture. Osteoporosis is bone degeneration usually associated with the aging process. It affects an estimated 10 million individuals and almost 34 million – men and women – have low bone mass, putting them at increased risk for developing the disease. Most patients don’t know they have osteoporosis until a big fall resulting in a fracture. Women going through menopause who have low-body weight, prior fracture from a fall from a standing position or lower and/or are on high-risk medications.Anyone 50 years or older who has had a fracture or other risk factors above.Steroids (prednisone, hydrocortisone, dexamethasone).Taking one of these medications can increase one's risk as well: Hyperthyroidism (having an overactive thyroid gland).Hyperparathyroidism (having an overactive parathyroid gland).In addition, having a history of one of these diseases can increase both a woman and man's risk of developing osteoporosis: Chronic disease that alters hormone levels and affects the kidneys, lungs, stomach and intestines.Race (white men appear to be at the greatest risk for developing osteoporosis, although the condition can affect people of all ethnic groups).Inadequate physical activity or too much exercise.

Poor vision despite correction, like wearing glasses.Taking medical therapy that lowers estrogen levels, such as for breast cancer or endometriosis.Prior to menopause, having a time in your life when you went more than a year without a menstrual period.Some surgeries (such as gastrectomy or intestinal bypass or other bariatric).Surgical removal of the ovaries before age 45.Personal history of fracture as an adult.The single best predictor of bone strength is bone density. Bone density cannot be determined from plain x-rays, but a specialized low-dose x-ray technique called bone densitometry can be used to measure the amount of bone present in different parts of the skeleton. Research over the past decade has shown conclusively that bone density is related to risk of fracture, in much the same way that blood cholesterol is related to the risk of heart disease. The lower the bone density, the greater the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. Peak bone mass is reached by about age 30 and it remains relatively stable until about ago 50 or the time of menopause. This may simply be genetic because approximately 70 percent of a person’s peak bone mass is due to their inheritance. There are a number of risk factors that increase a person’s likelihood of having osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is often the result of a combination of factors. One is failure to obtain an optimal level of bone mass as a young adult. The appearance of a widow’s hump or a fractured wrist or hip from a fall may be the first actual symptoms of osteoporosis unless your doctor has been measuring your bone density. Men also should watch for a loss of height, change in posture or sudden back pain. You are more likely to have compression fractures in your vertebrae, the bones in your spine. A compression fracture is the result of the weakened bone cracking from the normal pressure of being upright. This often results in the curvature of the spine at the shoulders in older people sometimes called a “widow’s hump”. The most common osteoporosis fractures resulting from falls are in your wrist or hip. If you have osteoporosis, your bones do not look any different, but they lose substance as well as calcium and other minerals. As a result, your bones have less strength and are more likely to fracture, especially if you have a fall.

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