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Diagnosis of Osteoporosis
Signs and Symptoms of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis develops with no symptoms until it is severe enough to cause changes in stature, posture or fractures. At that time, osteoporosis may appear as:
- Loss of height
- Kyphosis (extensive flexion "bending forward" of the spine)
- Lordosis (abnormal extension "bending backward" of the spine)
- Fractures of the vertebrae, hip, forearm (may occur spontaneously without any trauma)
- Back pain
- Dowager's hump (humped back)
- Restrictive lung disease (due to multiple thoracic fractures) Abdominal discomfort, constipation, reduced appetite (due to multiple lumbar fractures)
