How to Recognize Symptoms of Osteoporosis
If I have Osteoporosis, wouldn’t I know it? No, not usually. Osteoporosis is often called “the silent disease” because it progresses slowly over time, without symptoms. Patients often don’t realize they have osteoporosis or are even at risk until they suffer a fracture – most commonly of the hip, spine or wrist – after a fall or from doing ordinary activities.Osteoporosis weakens their bones so much that a sudden strain, bump or fall causes a fracture or a vertebra to collapse. At this point, they have already suffered the consequences of osteoporosis, often without realizing that they have it in the first place.
Collapsed vertebrae may initially be felt or seen in the form of severe back pain, loss of height, or spinal deformities such as kyphosis or stooped posture. For example, many people continue to assume height loss is a normal part of aging. However, it may be due to a collapse in the bones of the spine, called vertebrae, weakened by osteoporosis. “Osteoporosis is a disease that one is unaware of until it makes a sound. And that sound is not really an audible sound. To me that sound was the sound of pain experienced when a bone breaks,” said Linda, a patient.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation advises everyone to routinely monitor their height and talk to their healthcare provider if they notice a loss of more than an inch.
This is where our BStrong4Life System has life changing effects. By strengthening the muscles that support your bones, we can improve your posture, increase your height and increase your bone density simultaneously.