Osteoporosis symptoms
Osteoporosis occurs when your body no longer creates new bone as quickly as it removes old bone, resulting in weak and brittle bones that are sponge-like. As bones weaken and become more brittle, a fall or even a mild stress like coughing can cause the bones to break – most typically in the hip, wrist or spine.
People with osteoporosis have no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss. Signs and symptoms of weakened bones due to osteoporosis include:
Osteoporosis is typically a painless condition and can go undetected for years until a broken bone occurs. The symptom most commonly associated with a broken bone, also known as a fracture, is pain, and the location of the pain depends on where the break occurs. Osteoporotic broken bones cause a significant decrease in quality of life, disability and lost work productivity. Some bone breaks, like hip fractures, may require surgery to repair and may heal slowly and/or poorly because weakened bones do not heal properly. They may results in a decrease in mobility, loss of independence, and in some instances nursing home care. People who have a broken bone may become frail and there is an increased risk of dying following a broken bone.
Fractures of the spine can cause severe, chronic pain that can make it difficult to walk and sleep comfortably.
| A spine fracture can cause loss of height with a curved spine as the bones collapse. This may cause a hunched-back appearance of the upper back. This condition is called kyphosis. |  |