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What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is the most common type of bone disease in America, with more than 44 million people being affected. Of these, 10 million have full blown osteoporosis and 34 million have low bone mass, putting them at a much higher risk of developing osteoporosis.

Misconceptions About Osteoporosis

With any disease, there are often a great number of misconceptions and myths and osteoporosis is no exception. Some of the most common osteoporosis myths are that only older women are affected, that it is a normal part of the aging process, and that by simply eating a great deal of vitamin D and calcium osteoporosis can be prevented. While there is some truth to these myths, they are actually not accurately representing the disease, which has a very big impact on how people seek treatment.

Osteoporosis causes a persons bones to loose density, which makes them weaker and more prone to fracture. It is sometimes referred to as the "swiss cheese" effect, as this accurately describes what the bones look like in someone who has osteoporosis. The name itself is from the Greek words osteo, which means bones, and porosis, which means "with holes."

Who Can Get Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis can affect people of any age, although it is most common among older women. In a healthy adult, bones are being formed at the same time that old bone is broken down. In children, new bones are being formed more rapidly that old bone is destroyed. During osteoporosis, old bone is destroyed at a rate that is much quicker than it is being made.

Effects of Osteoporosis

It is very important to understand what osteoporosis is, because even though the disease does not cause pain, it can be very dangerous. In someone with osteoporosis, the bones are much more likely to fracture, even after a very low impact fall. Since osteoporosis is much more common among the elderly, these fractures can be very difficult to recover from and often result in having to make a very significant life change, such as moving to an assisted living facility.

In fact, a recent study found that among seniors, 20% who receive a hip fracture will die within a year of the fracture. Of the surviving people, 50% will need to move to some sort of assisted care facility.

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