Lesson 2: Clinical Observations

You're never too old to do something about osteoporosis.

Signs and Symptoms of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a silent disease, with no early signs or symptoms. A first fracture may be the only sign, and that is not an early sign. When fractures occur, this disease is well established. It is old. Some of the later signs and symptoms of osteoporosis are:

• Generalized bone pain anywhere in the body. This is what led me to sign up for the mobile screening for osteoporosis. At night, I have such terrible pain in my upper legs. It is so bad that it awakens me. I can only describe it as a bone pain because that is what it feels like to me. Changing position relieves the pain, though it may return in the same leg or the other upper leg.
• Neck pain
• Low back pain
• Fractured wrist, hip, vertebrae, ribs
• Change in posture
• A rounded or worsening hump on the back, often called a dowager's hump
• Positive screenings

Signs and symptoms of osteoporosis are more to be seen many years after the disease has become established. We have but to ask anyone who suffers with the disfigurement, pain, and loss of the ability to perform even the most simple of his activities of daily life, to understand the results of the signs and symptoms of osteoporosis.

The best way to detect the silent signs and symptoms of osteoporosis is to present one's self for mobile screening or to request of one's personal physician to order bone density testing.

Osteoporosis is often confused with arthritis, but while arthritis presents symptoms of heat, swelling and joint pain, osteoporosis has no such symptoms. It is silent. But we can watch for fractures--those broken bones that occur from an activity in which a fracture would not normally be sustained. Examples are a fracture from bending over to pick up an object from the floor, or a fractured rib from exercising, or twisting while dressing or dancing.

A loss in height is so silent that it can go undetected. I have started recording my height while standing back against the wall. Make sure the marking pencil is straight! A loss of height causes a person to become stooped. The back bends forward with a kyphosis, called a dowager's hump. This hump is caused by compression or crush fractures of the vertebrae. These are serious and painful breaks.

A broken hip is a serious sign of osteoporosis. These fractures lead to a loss of independence and function, and can be life-threatening. There are hip pads which can be worn to help in the prevention of broken hips and are more than 50% effective.

One's best defense is a good exercise program, good nutrition, good calcium and vitamin D intake, and regular screening.

Source

"Signs and Symptoms." Short, but sweet.

"What are the Symptoms of Osteoporosis? Signs, symptoms, various fractures.

1  2  3  4   

Print this page