Osteoporosis in Women

In the early stages during the onset of this bone disease, there are usually no obvious symptoms. But as the disease progresses, a woman may feel pains in her bones or they can become very tender. Also, she may experience a decrease in her height due to small fractures that can occur as the bones begin to thin and weaken. As much as six inches drop in height has been known to occur. Other common symptoms are lower back pain as well as the development of pain in the neck area.

As a woman gets older, her chances of developing this disease increases. It is common for women between the ages of forty five and fifty five to develop osteoporosis. Women are more vulnerable to this disease than men because women tend to lose their bone mass faster than men and at a much earlier age than men. This is because men happen to have more bone mass than women do. Also, after a woman begins menopause, she will produce less amounts of estrogen, which up until menopause, has protected the bone calcium.

Women of any race can develop this disease, but studies show that women who have a family history of osteoporosis are at a much greater risk. Also the disease seems to be very common among white and Asian women. Slim women can also be at risk for developing this disease.