normally your bones are being rebuilt all the time. first old bone is removed (resorbed). then a similar amount of new bone is formed. this balanced process keeps your skeleton healthy and strong. osteoporosis is a thinning and weakening of the bones. it is common in women after menopause and may also occur in men. in osteoporosis bone is removed faster than it is formed so overall bone mass is lost and bones become weaker. therefore keeping bone mass is important to keep your bones healthy. in both men and women osteoporosis may also be caused by certain medicines called corticosteroids. at first osteoporosis usually has no symptoms but it can cause fractures (broken bones). fractures usually cause pain. fractures of the bones of the spine may not be painful but over time they can make you shorter. eventually your spine can curve and your body can become bent over. fractures may happen during normal everyday activity such as lifting or from minor injury that would normally not cause bones to break. fractures most often occur at the hip spine or wrist. this can lead to pain severe disability or loss of ability to move around (mobility).
what should i know about osteoporosis?