May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month!

What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the bones to become brittle and weak. Having decreased bone strength increases the risk for fractures. This can happen with a fall or even mild stress to a bone, such as coughing, sneezing, or even bumping into something. Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur at the hip, spine, and wrist. About 54 million Americans have low bone density or osteoporosis.
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What are symptoms of osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is known as a “silent disease,” especially in the earlier stages. This means that typically, there are no outward signs or symptoms. Many people do not know they have osteoporosis until they break a bone. In the later stages, when bones are already weakened by osteoporosis, the following symptoms may become evident:

What are risk factors for osteoporosis?
Anyone can develop osteoporosis, but some factors and conditions can increase your risk, which include:

How can I prevent osteoporosis?
Certain lifestyle factors can help to keep your bones healthy and strong to try and prevent osteoporosis. This includes:

Living with osteoporosis
If you or someone you care for is diagnosed with osteoporosis, the lifestyle factors above should be followed. It is also important to remove environmental fall risks in your home to prevent falls, which can lead to fractures.

If you are concerned about osteoporosis, talk to your health care provider about being screened.

Learn more about osteoporosis:

PCHC has developed a Health Promotion Activity Plan (HPAP) on osteoporosis and more.

• Loss of height (1 inch or more)
• Change in posture (bending forward/stooped)
• Back pain
• Bone fractures

• 50 years of age or older
• Postmenopausal women
• Family history of osteoporosis
• Being Caucasian or Asian American
• Having a small body frame
• Diet low in calcium and vitamin D
• Taking certain medications (e.g. steroids, seizure medications)
• Having certain medical conditions (e.g. hyperthyroidism, Celiac disease, kidney or liver disease)

• Eating a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. To learn more about how to follow a bone healthy diet, see thisresource from the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation: https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/healthy-bones-guide/
• Get regular weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, jogging, and aerobics.
• Limit alcohol and caffeine intake, avoid tobacco

• Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation: https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/
• National Institute of Health – National Institute on Aging – Osteoporosis https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/osteoporosis
• Medline Plus – Osteoporosis: https://medlineplus.gov/osteoporosis.html