November 22, 2008

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Osteoporosis FAQs (cont.)

What are the Symptoms of Osteoporosis?

In many people, low bone mass (osteopenia) and osteoporosis occur without any symptoms. In people with osteoporosis, a simple everyday movement, such as picking up a grocery bag, can cause a sudden onset of back pain, and that can be the first symptom. As osteoporosis progresses over a period of time, the bones in the spine (vertebrae) can begin to collapse. Collapsed vertebrae may be felt as severe back pain or seen as loss of height or spine deformities such as a hunchback (dowager's hump). The most common bones broken in osteoporosis are the hip, spine, wrist, and ribs, although any bone in the body can be affected by osteoporosis and can break.



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