What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis often has no signs or symptoms until a bone breaks – this is why it’s called the ‘silent disease’, and is one of the reasons that osteoporosis often remains undiagnosed.
Osteoporosis - The silent disease |
Osteoporosis affects more than bone. It’s the primary cause of hip fracture, which can lead to permanent disability, loss of independence and sometimes even death. Collapsing spinal vertebrae can produce stooped posture and a “Dowager’s hump”. (Access Economics et al 2001). |
So how can you tell if you have osteoporosis?
Before a fracture. Osteoporosis has no signs or symptoms until a fracture occurs, so the only way of telling whether you have osteoporosis before you break a bone is to ask your doctor about tests used to diagnose the condition (see Diagnosis of osteoporosis).
After a ‘silent’ fracture. Sometimes people do not realise they have a broken bone, especially if the fracture occurs in one of the small bones (vertebrae) that make up the back bone. There are a few signs and symptoms that you can look out for before you realise a bone fracture has occurred:
Loss of height: Can you still reach the top shelf of the cupboard that you used to be able to reach? Or have you ‘shrunk’ over the years? If you have lost about 3 cm (that’s about 1.5 inches) in height over time, it could indicate that you have a vertebral bone fracture
Back ache: Sudden onset and/or severe back ache can be caused by a vertebral bone fracture
“Dowager’s hump”: Collapsing spinal vertebrae can produce a stooped posture and “Dowager’s hump”
After a fracture. Osteoporotic fractures can happen during normal everyday activities or following a simple trip or fall. Common bone fractures for people with osteoporosis include fractures of the:
- spine (vertebra)
- wrist
- hip
- rib
- forearm / upper arm
Once a bone breaks
Osteoporosis increases the risk of vertebral fractures. Tiny fractures occur in the vertebrae, and the structure collapses, becoming compressed. This can occur during normal everyday activities such as stretching, twisting or lifting. A fracture is often (but not always) painful, yet many people do not realise that they have fractured a vertebra, passing the back pain off as the ‘wear and tear’ of older age. Vertebral fractures can lead to increased curvature of the spine, a hunched posture (“Dowager’s hump” – the medical term for which is kyphosis) and height loss.
Osteoporosis increases the risk of hip and wrist fractures. These fractures generally occur when a person falls over, and are immediately painful and obvious. Hip fracture causes immediate immobility.
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