Symptoms
There are two common symptoms of osteoporosis:
- Bone fractures from minor incidents -- most
often fractures of the hip, spinal vertebrae
and wrist.
- Loss of height, which happens when a woman
suffers several small fractures in her spine.
If you are past menopause and have lost height
or suffered a broken a bone from a minor event,
talk to your health care provider about osteoporosis.
Risk Factors
Fortunately, you don't have to wait to determine
your risk for osteoporosis. Long before menopause,
you can estimate your level of risk and take steps
to prevent unnecessary bone loss or fractures.
Be aware, though, that 30% to 40% of women without
identifiable risk factors may have lost enough
bone density to increase their risk for fractures.
Bone mineral density is the single most important
predictor of fracture risk.
Listed below are questions that identify women
at risk for developing osteoporosis. If you answer
"yes" to many of these questions, talk
to your health care provider about ways you can
reduce your risk.
- Do you have a small or thin frame?
- Are you Caucasian or Asian?
- Has a member of your family been diagnosed
with osteoporosis?
- Have you reached menopause?
- Did you reach menopause before age 40, or
was menopause surgically induced?
- Have you taken thyroid medication for an extended
period of time?
- Have you taken high doses of cortisone-like
drugs for asthma, arthritis or cancer?
- During childhood, was your diet low in dairy
products and other sources of calcium?
- Today, is your diet low in dairy products
and other sources of calcium?
- Is your diet high in salt, caffeine or protein?
- Are you physically inactive?
- Do you smoke?
- Do you drink alcohol heavily now, or did you
drink heavily in the past?
- Have you had amenorrhea (lack of menstrual
periods for an extended amount of time)?
- Have you ever been diagnosed with anorexia?
If you have had fractures or height loss, or
if you believe you're at risk for osteoporosis,
you may want to consider a DEXA scan.
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