What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by the loss of the normal density of bone, resulting in fragile bone. Osteoporosis leads to literally abnormally porous bone that is more compressible like a sponge, than dense like a brick. This disorder of the skeleton weakens the bone causing an increase in the risk for breaking bones (bone fracture). Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen, and calcium all of which give bone its strength. Bones that are affected by osteoporosis can break (fracture) with relatively minor injury that normally would not cause a bone fracture. The fracture can be either in the form of cracking (as in a hip fracture), or collapsing (as in a compression fracture of the vertebrae of the spine). The spine, hips, and wrists are common areas of bone fractures from osteoporosis, although osteoporosis-related fractures can also occur in almost any skeletal bone. What are the symptoms of osteoporosis? The osteoporosis condition can be present without any symptoms f
Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease that primarily affects post-menopausal women. It is estimated that more than one in two women over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture. Literally meaning “porous bone,” osteoporosis is characterized by a decrease in normal bone density due to the loss of calcium and collagen. A loss of bone density causes bones to become brittle, and in turn, leads to frequent fractures and other serious effects. Osteoporosis is a threat to 44 million Americans and is currently one of the most under-diagnosed and under-treated disorders in medicine.
