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Frequently Asked Questions About Osteoporosis
From The National Women's Health Information Center
What bones does osteoporosis affect?
Osteoporosis can happen to any of your bones, but is most common in the hip, wrist, and in your spine, also called your vertebrae (ver-tuh-bray). Vertebrae are important because these bones support your body to stand and sit upright. See the picture below.
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- Sloping shoulders
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Curve in the back
- Height loss
- Back pain
- Hunched posture
- Protruding abdomen
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Osteoporosis in the vertebrae can cause serious problems for women. A fracture in this area occurs from day-to-day activities like climbing stairs, lifting objects, or bending forward.
How can I find out if I have weak bones?
There are tests you can get to find out your bone strength, also called bone density. One test is a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). A DEXA takes x-rays of your bones. There are also other types of bone strength tests too. Talk with your doctor or nurse about which type of test is best for you.
If you are age 65 and older, you should get a bone density test. If you are between ages 60 and 64, weigh less than 154 pounds, and don’t take estrogen, get a bone density test. Don’t wait until age 65. You have a higher chance for breaks.
How can I help my daughter have strong bones?
Teach your daughter early! Making good choices for healthy bones should start in childhood and become habits that last. Help your daughter build healthy bones. Powerful Bones. Powerful Girls™" is a national education effort to help girls increase the calcium in their diets. The campaign has a user-friendly Web site. There is also a Web site for
parents with the information they need to help their daughters build strong bones during the critical window of bone growth — ages 9-12.
Dairy foods make me sick. How can I get enough calcium?
If you are lactose intolerant, it can be hard to get enough calcium. Lactose intolerance means the body is not able to easily digest foods that contain lactose, or the sugar that is found in dairy products like milk. Gas, bloating, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and nausea are symptoms you might have. It can start at any age but often begins as we grow older.
Lactose-reduced and lactose-free products are sold in food stores. There’s a great variety, including milk, cheese, and ice cream. Found at the grocery store or drug store, you also can take special pills or liquids before eating to help you digest dairy foods.
You can also eat foods that have calcium added (fortified), like some cereals and orange juice. Also think about taking calcium pills. But talk to your doctor or nurse first to see which one is best for you. Please note: If you have symptoms of lactose intolerance, see your doctor or nurse. These symptoms could also be from a different, or more serious, illness.
Do men get osteoporosis?
Before the 1990s, we used to think only women got osteoporosis. Now we know that men also have to worry about weak bones. In fact, after age 50, 6% of men will suffer a hip fracture caused by osteoporosis and 5% will have a vertebral fracture due to osteoporosis. Men in their 50s do not experience the rapid loss of bone mass that women do in the years following menopause. (Women are still four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis because of the loss of estrogen at menopause. Estrogen blocks or slows down bone loss.) By age 65 or 70, however, men and women are losing bone mass at the same rate, and calcium absorption decreases in both sexes.
What is the difference between osteoporosis and osteoarthritis?
While osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (OA) are two very different medical conditions with little in common, the similarity of their names causes great confusion. These conditions develop differently, have different symptoms, are diagnosed differently, and are treated differently. While it is possible to have both osteoporosis and arthritis, studies show that people with OA are less likely to develop osteoporosis.
OA is a painful, degenerative joint disease that often involves the hips, knees, neck, lower back, or the small joints of the hands. OA usually develops in joints that are injured by repeated overuse from performing a particular task or playing a favorite sport, or from carrying around excess body weight. Eventually this injury or repeated impact thins or wears away the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones in the joint. As a result, the bones rub together, causing a grating sensation. Joint flexibility is reduced, bony spurs develop, and the joint swells. Usually, the first symptom of OA is pain that worsens following exercise or immobility. Treatment usually includes pain relievers, topical creams, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (known as NSAIDs); appropriate exercises or physical therapy; joint splinting; or joint replacement surgery for seriously damaged larger joints, such as the knee or hip.
Are there special concerns for African American women regarding bone health?
While African American women tend to have higher bone mineral density (BMD) than white women throughout life, they are still at significant risk of developing osteoporosis. The misperception that osteoporosis is only a concern for white women can delay prevention and treatment in African American women who do not believe they are at risk for the disease.
Osteoporosis is underrecognized and undertreated in African American women.
As African American women age, their risk for hip fracture doubles approximately every 7 years.
African American women are more likely than white women to die following a hip fracture.
Diseases more prevalent in the African American population, such as sickle-cell anemia and lupus, can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis.
African American women consume 50 percent less calcium than the Recommended Dietary Allowance. Adequate intake of calcium plays a crucial role in building bone mass and preventing bone loss.
As many as 75 percent of all African Americans are lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance can hinder optimal calcium intake. People with lactose intolerance often may avoid milk and other dairy products that are excellent sources of calcium because they have trouble digesting lactose, the primary sugar in milk.
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