'Osteoporosis Informational Section'

What is Osteoporosis?
“Osteo” means bone and “porosis” means porous. Throughout your life, your bones go through bone-building cycles, in which old bone is broken down and new bone is formed.
Bone density decreases when an imbalance in this cycle causes more bone to break down than is replaced.
Osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease” because there are no symptoms,
so you can’t feel your bones becoming weak.
Sometimes women will not know they have thinning bones until a bone breaks.

Women: • Age 35 to Menopause – Bone mass slowly declines. • At Menopause – The female hormone estrogen helps women maintain bone strength, but levels decline at menopause.
• Later in Life – Your body may still continue to lose bone, increasing your risk for fracture.


What is BMD?
Bone Mass Density. If you are over 65 and qualify, Medicare may cover the cost of your bone density test.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation offers the following recommendations
for those who should receive a BMD test.
• All women age 65 and older regardless of risk factors • Younger postmenopausal women with
1 or more risk factors • Postmenopausal women with fractures
Make sure to ask about treatment options and plans!


Take Good Care of Your Bones and keep these few things in mind: • Diet and Nutrition
• Calcium and Vitamin D • Exercise: Physical Activity Contributes to Bone Health

Remember F R A C T U R E • Family history (especially a mother or sister with osteoporosis) • Race: Asian or Caucasian • Age (over age 50) • Continuing use of steroids (cortisone, prednisone) • Thin, small body frame • Use of cigarettes or too much alcohol • Reduced calcium intake and reduced physical activity • Estrogen: low levels


We hope our information will be of help to you and your loved ones.

CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN FOR A PROPER DIAGNOSIS