Understanding Osteoporosis in Women

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What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease that makes bones weak and more likely to break. It happens when your body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. People often call it a “silent disease” because you can’t feel your bones getting weaker.

Think of your bones like a honeycomb. When you have osteoporosis, the holes in this honeycomb get bigger, making your bones less dense and more fragile. This means even a small bump or fall can cause a break. The disease gets worse slowly over time, often without you noticing until a bone breaks.

Why Women Are at Higher Risk

Women are more likely to get osteoporosis than men. This is mostly because of the changes that happen during menopause. When women go through menopause, their bodies make less estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that helps protect bones. With less estrogen, bones can lose density faster.

Other things that make a woman more likely to get osteoporosis include:

• Being over 50 years old
• Having a small, thin body
• Family history of osteoporosis
• Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D
• Not exercising regularly
• Smoking or drinking too much alcohol
• Certain medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or hyperthyroidism
• Taking certain medications for a long time, like corticosteroids

Talk to our expert doctors to learn about your personal risk factors and how to prevent osteoporosis.

Recognizing the Signs

Osteoporosis is often called a silent disease because bone loss happens without symptoms. But there are some signs to watch for:

• Getting shorter over time (more than 1.5 inches)
• A hunched posture or curved upper back
• Back pain caused by a broken or collapsed vertebra
• Bones that break much more easily than expected
• Sudden, bad back pain that gets worse when standing or walking
• Weaker grip and feeling weaker overall

If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to talk to a doctor.

Diagnosis and Screening

The main way to diagnose osteoporosis is through a bone density scan, also called a DXA or DEXA scan. This simple, painless test uses low-dose X-rays to measure how dense (or strong) your bones are. It’s like taking a picture of your bones to see how healthy they are.

Women should start getting regular bone density scans at age 65. But if you have risk factors, your doctor might say to start earlier. The test usually checks your hip and spine, because these are common places for osteoporosis breaks.

Prevention: Your Best Defense

Preventing osteoporosis is easier than treating it. Here are some key ways to keep your bones strong:

• Eat foods with lots of calcium and vitamin D
• Exercise regularly, especially weight-bearing and strength-training exercises
• Don’t smoke and limit how much alcohol you drink
• Keep a healthy weight
• Talk to your doctor about hormone therapy
• Get regular check-ups and bone density scans
• Make your home safer to prevent falls