Osteoporosis Symptoms and Prevention

Osteoporosis symptoms are quite difficult to discover -- often only becoming apparent when the disease reaches an advanced stage -- which is why it has a reputation of being a deceptive disease.

Unfortunately, osteoporosis signs are often misread, with many people confusing it with arthritis. They wait for problems such joint pain and swelling to occur before they decide to visit a doctor. Osteoporosis is normally uncovered after a fall that results in broken or fractured bones. For someone with ordinary bones, these falls would not be a problem, but osteoporosis sufferers can get injured very easily.

The damage is often so severe that it causes damage to the vertebrae. As the symptoms of osteoporosis become more advanced, it will become more painful. After a large amount of calcium has been lost, the vertebrae in the spine collapse. This results in what is known as kyphosis, or a severely stooped posture. While the posture change is relatively painless, it does cause the patient to lose several inches in height.

As a preventitive measure, you should have your bone mass measured by your local physician. A BMD (Bone Mineral Density) test is used to diagnose osteoporosis, to discover if you have low bone density. It can also determine how well you will respond to treatment. The most popular BMD test is known as the DXA test. This is a test that is similar to an x-ray, but without the radiation levels.

Osteoporosis symptoms are hard to discover, yet the disease could be a cause of serious problems as you go through the aging process. So it is essential to visit your physician and have a BMD test to discover if you have low bone density. Better to have a test today, than to find out you have osteoporosis by accident.