What are the signs and symptoms of osteoporosis?

In its early stages, osteoporosis lacks symptoms. Over time, people with this condition may experience a loss of height due to compression of vertebrae and hunched-forward posture (known as "dowager's hump") and sometimes have back pain. In many people who don't have screening tests for osteoporosis, the condition is not discovered until they suffer a fracture.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?

Early detection of osteoporosis is important because it can help people slow the progress of the disease. The best method for at-risk people is to have regular bone density tests, such as a type of x-ray called a DEXA scan.

Is hormone replacement therapy used to treat osteoporosis?

It can be, but this is typically not a first-line treatment. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was formerly recommended as the primary treatment for osteoporosis for women. By taking estrogen or combined estrogen and progesterone replacements, women have been able to slow down or halt the loss of bone mass associated with menopause. However, research projects such as the Women's Health Initiative indicated that the risks of this therapy may be greater than the benefits. Because of this, most doctors no longer recommend hormone replacement therapy solely to treat osteoporosis. Other drugs are available that help women increase their bone density.

For men, testosterone replacement therapy may be recommended in treating osteoporosis, but it too has side effects.