What is Osteoporosis ?
Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become fragile and brittle, leading to an increased risk of fracture. Osteoporosis is common in Australia, affecting over 1 million Australians.
Bone is a living tissue made up of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. The body continually remodels and rebuilds bones to keep them strong. However, in osteoporosis, bones break down faster than they rebuild. Although bones remain the same size, the loss in bone mineral density makes them more porous and more brittle. The lower your bone mineral density, the higher your risk of fractures.
Symptoms
For many people, the first sign of osteoporosis is when they have a bone fracture. But other people may have signs and symptoms earlier, such as back pain, a stooped posture and loss of height.
The most common fractures due to osteoporosis are in the spine. They are called vertebral compression fractures. If you have multiple osteoporotic fractures in your spine, it will lose its normal curvature, and you may have the appearance of your back being hunched forwards. This can develop very slowly, and you may not notice. If you have lost more than 3 cm in height, you may have undiagnosed vertebral fractures.
