Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis Causes

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is the most common form of osteoporosis and usually affects women over the age of 60. Postmenopausal osteoporosis leads to bone loss as well as brittle bones that lead to breakage. Women should have a bone scan by the age of 65 in order to discover if they are on the verge of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The bone scan can be done to ascertain if there is any bone loss.

What are the Risk Factors for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis?

Not all cases of osteoporosis are postmenopausal osteoporosis, although the vast majority of them are those women who are past the child bearing years. There are certain risk factors that can lead to osteoporosis in women. These include both heredity factors as well as dietary factors that have been part of their life. Women who have a first degree relative who suffers or did suffer from postmenopausal osteoporosis are at greater risk for bone loss as compared to those who do not have this condition run in their families.

Symptoms of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Many women who have postmenopausal osteoporosis have very little symptoms and little pain. As a result, they may not even realize that they are experiencing bone loss. There are several symptoms of postmenopausal osteoporosis that need to be considered:

Back pain
Frequent breaks or fractures of bones
Decrease in height

The decrease in height is one way that someone can tell if they are suffering from bone loss due to osteoporosis. Women who have postmenopausal osteoporosis will experience compression fractures in the spine that lead to a decrease in height. At this time, they may or may not experience back pain. Most of the back pain that is associated with osteoporosis is acute, but may not be severe enough to seek medical treatment. Some women will put this pain down to aging pains.

Frequent breaks and fractures are another indication of osteoporosis. Many women do not discover that they have this disease until they experience a broken bone. Because the condition leads to bone loss, it is very important for those who are suffering from osteoporosis to prevent themselves from falling. The bone density in someone who has this condition is less than someone who is not suffering from osteoporosis. As a result, those who fall and have this condition are much more likely to break a bone than someone who has stronger bones.

The guidelines for osteoporosis with regard to detection as well as treatment is that every woman should have a bone scan by the age of 65 to determine if she is experiencing lower levels of bone mineral density. This is usually the sign that a woman may be in the throes of the disease or may even be on the verge of having osteoporosis. Fortunately, if discovered in time the condition can be treated with a variety of different drugs that are on the market, including bisphosphonates. These drugs have proven to be effective at treating women with this condition and can reverse bone loss, allowing for stronger bones, a better quality of life and a reduction of bone breaks and fractures in postmenopausal women.