What is osteoporosis, exactly?
1 min read
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, about 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and 44 million have low bone density. It’s a painful and debilitating health condition that can seriously impact the mobility and independence of those who suffer from it, but what exactly is osteoporosis? When do symptoms develop, and how can it be treated?
The “silent disease”
Osteoporosis is a health condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break. It’s sometimes called a “silent disease” because people who develop it may not notice any changes until a bone breaks.
How does it occur?
It occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both.
Fragile bones
The condition weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break.
Taking a fall
Osteoporosis develops slowly over several years. A broken bone is usually the first sign of the condition, a result perhaps of a fall or a sudden impact.
Porous bones”
Osteoporosis means “porous bone.” When viewed under a microscope, healthy bone appears like honeycomb. However, when osteoporosis occurs, the holes and spaces in the honeycomb are much larger—telltale signs of the onset of the disease.
Stooped posture
An outward physical sign of osteoporosis is the characteristic stooped (bent forward) posture of some elderly people, a result of broken bones in the spine that make it difficult to support the weight of the body.
