Osteoporosis Medical Reference

When you have osteoporosis, the effects of a bone fracture go beyond the initial pain and discomfort. Learn about the most common fractures and how they might affect your life.

If you’ve recently had a fracture because of osteoporosis, here are a few tips for getting your independence back.

What you eat and drink after a bone fracture can affect your recovery. Certain nutrients can help make your bones healthier.

A bone mineral density test examines segments of your bone through X-rays to detect osteoporosis. The test is quick and painless, and it gives you a snapshot of how strong they are.

If you have osteoporosis, the right medicine can help slow or even stop its progress. Learn what meds are out there, how they can help, and how to choose what’s right for you.

When you have osteopenia, your bones are weak but are still strong enough that they wouldn’t break easily during a fall. Find out more about this condition and how to strengthen your bones.

You’ve broken your hip—now what? WebMD explains what you need to know if you have a hip fracture.

So, you’ve broken your hip. Do you need hip fracture surgery? WebMD tells you what you should consider before you decide.

WebMD tells you what you should know about Paget's disease of bone, a condition that can cause bones to enlarge and press on other body parts.

WebMD explains the link between hyperparathyroidism, calcium, and osteoporosis.

Got bones that bend and break easily? WebMD explains more about osteomalacia, the “soft bone” disease.

WebMD explains what you need to know about taking a dietary supplement to get more calcium. Find out how much you should take, what kind is best, and how to avoid side effects.

Osteoporosis is a progressive disease that causes bones to become thin and brittle, making them more likely to break.

A list of sources for the information used in this article on osteoporosis.

There are four types of osteoporosis : primary,secondary,osteogenesis imperfecta,and idiopathic juvenile. Primary osteoporosis Primary osteoporosis is the most common type of osteoporosis. It is more common in women than men. A person reaches peak bone mass (density) at about age 30. After that,the rate of bone loss slowly increases,while the rate of bone building decreases. Whether a ...

CitationsU.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2002). Screening for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: Recommendations and rationale. Annals of Internal Medicine, 137(6): 526–528. ...

What is Paget's disease? Paget's disease is a problem of abnormal bone growth. It may affect just one bone, but it usually affects more than one.In normal bone, the bone tissue is constantly being broken down, absorbed into the body, and then rebuilt with new cells. In Paget's disease, bone tissue is broken down and absorbed much faster than normal, so the body speeds up the bone rebuilding process. But this new bone is often weak and brittle, and it breaks easily.Paget's disease is most common in people older than 50, and the risk of getting it increases with age. Most people who have it are able to lead normal lives. What causes Paget's disease?The cause of Paget's disease is not clear. But it may be related to: Genetics. You're more likely to get Paget's disease if your parents, brothers, or sisters have it. Viruses. The viruses linked to measles in people and distemper in dogs have been found in the bones of people with Paget's disease. But there's no proof that these viruses

Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.Decision Points focus on key medical care decisions that are important to many health problems. Osteoporosis: Should I Take Bisphosphonate Medicines?Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition. Healthy Eating: Taking Calcium and Vitamin D

Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health. Decision Points focus on key medical care decisions that are important to many health problems. Osteoporosis: Should I Have a Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) Test? Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition. Osteoporosis: Taking Calcium and Vitamin D ...

Exercise is an important part of managing osteoporosis. Your health professional may recommend physical therapy. Your physical therapist may teach you how to safely do weight-bearing exercises, which can slow bone loss.

Paget's disease is a chronic disease that affects how the body breaks down and rebuilds bone tissue. Paget's disease can be active or inactive, depending on whether the bone formation process goes too quickly or normally.Inactive Paget's diseaseIn inactive Paget's disease, bone tissue is being broken down and rebuilt at a normal speed. This most often occurs when you are using medicine to slow the bone growth. The inactive state may continue even after you stop taking medicine. This is called remission. Active Paget's diseaseActive Paget's disease has three stages. They are: Hot (lytic) stage. This stage occurs early in the disease process, when bone tissue is being quickly broken down. Bones are often more painful during this stage.Mixed stage. This stage occurs later in the disease process, when bone tissue is being quickly broken down and quickly rebuilt.Cold (rebuilding) stage. This stage occurs later in the disease, when bone tissue is being quickly rebuilt.Bone pain may occur in

Heart failure develops when the heart muscle is not able to pump enough blood to meet the body's need. Failure does not mean that the heart is not pumping. It means that it is not pumping as well as it should. Bones affected by Paget's disease contain extra blood vessels. When Paget's disease affects a large amount of bone tissue, the heart pumps faster and harder in order to supply blood to this extra bone, as well as to all tissues of the body. If the heart cannot pump enough blood, heart failure develops.This is a very rare complication of Paget's disease.

OsteoarthritisOsteoporosisOsteoporosis in Men

Learn about osteoporosis and how to prevent it.

Learning about Paget's disease:What is Paget's disease?What are active and inactive Paget's disease?How is heart failure related to Paget's disease?What other health problems can be caused by Paget's disease?Being diagnosed:What questions will a doctor ask to diagnose Paget's disease?What happens during a physical exam for Paget's disease?How is a bone scan done?How is an alkaline phosphatase test done?Getting treatment:How do bisphosphonate medicines help with Paget's disease?How does calcitonin help with Paget's disease?How much calcium and vitamin D do I need?Living with Paget's disease:How can I manage the pain of Paget's disease?What is acupuncture, and how can it help with pain?What can I do to avoid falls?What should I know about using a cane?What should I know about using a walker?