| Osteoporosis: A debilitating
disease that can be prevented and
treated.
 Osteoporosis
is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely
to break. If not prevented or if left untreated,
osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks.
These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically
in the hip, spine, and wrist.
Any bone can be affected, but of special concern are
fractures of the hip and spine. A hip fracture almost always
requires hospitalization and major surgery. It can impair a
person's ability to walk unassisted and may cause prolonged
or permanent disability or even death. Spinal or vertebral
fractures also have serious consequences, including loss of
height, severe back pain, and deformity.
Millions of Americans are at risk. While women are four
times more likely than men to develop the disease, men also
suffer from osteoporosis.
Download the
Osteoporosis: Can It Happen to You? risk factor
questionnaire.
To receive the latest scientific information on osteoporosis
and ideas on how to better cope with this disease, please
consider joining the NOF Family. New members of the
National Osteoporosis Foundation ($20) receive our quarterly
newsletter, The Osteoporosis Report, and a copy of our
74-page comprehensive patient handbook, Boning Up on
Osteoporosis. Several levels of health professional
memberships are available.
Join on-line
today!
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