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Osteoporosis


'Osteo' means bone, and 'porosis' means thinning or becoming more porous, so osteoporosis literally means 'thinning of bone.'
It is commonly confused with the word osteoarthritis, which is a form of arthritis that results in breakdown of the cartilage covering the ends of bones. In contrast, osteoporosis is a condition where bone itself breaks down.  Bones then become thin, brittle and easily broken. For example, sneezing can cause a person's rib to break or stumbling can lead to fracture of one of the bones in the spine.

  • Osteoporosis affects over 800,000 (1 in 37) Canadians
  • Women develop osteoporosis four times more often than men
  • It usually appears in people after age 40


The bones most commonly affected by osteoporosis are those in the hip, wrist and back, particularly those in the mid-back.  As vertebrae become thin, they are prone to collapse from relatively minor forces. Usually the fronts of the vertebrae break, leading to a state called wedging, which causes a person to stoop forward and develop a hump-like deformity on the upper spine. Those people who do not develop wedging may notice a progressive loss of height as bone collapse occurs.

Hip fractures are also common in people with osteoporosis, and can lead to immobility and hospitalization.

If you have osteoporosis there may be a long period of time, perhaps many years, during which you have no symptoms while your bones are becoming gradually thinner. Most people are diagnosed with osteoporosis after having sharp pain in the mid to low back that seems to have come on for no reason. Others experience fractures of the bone in the thigh, hipbone, or the lower arm bone above the wrist during what seems like relatively minor falls or accidents.

There are a number of factors that can lead to osteoporosis.

  • Bone loss will occur naturally as you get older.
  • Some people with osteoporosis have other family members with it.  A higher risk of getting osteoporosis may be passed along through the family.
  • Bones need exercise to stay strong.  If you do not exercise you may increase your risk of osteoporosis.
  • Changes in hormone levels can also cause osteoporosis. 
  • Not eating foods rich in calcium, vitamin D and phosphorous can also cause bone loss.
  • Drinking too much alcohol, smoking or having too much caffeine can cause bone loss. 
  • Some medicines can stop your body from absorbing calcium.  This may cause your bones to weaken.
  • Other illnesses or diseases, such as over-active thyroid, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis may also cause bone loss.