Osteoporosis, a Silent Disease - Health Channel

Blog

Osteoporosis, a Silent Disease |

Osteoporosis, a Silent Disease, Health Channel

Dr. Luis Rodriguez, Sports Medicine Physician at Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute, explains with aging you are going to see an increased risk of developing osteoporosis, but also genes play an important role. “If you have a family history, one of your relatives who had a hip fracture, for example, then you’re going to have an increased factor. Also for women after menopause or if you are a man with testosterone deficiency you can be at increased risk,” he says.

He points out symptoms may not come until you have a fracture and it is recognized that as much as one third of the spinal fractures don’t have symptoms until later on you start to develop some back pain.

Transcript

Osteoporosis, a Silent Disease, Health Channel

Doctor, we refer to it as the silent disease and my question to you is how does someone get osteoporosis? is it genetic? is it age related? hormones? all of the above? Yeah, the answer there is all of the above. With aging you are going to see an increase risk of developing osteoporosis, but also genes play an important role. If we have a family history, one of your relatives who had a hip fracture, for example, then you’re going to have an increased factor. Also for women after menopause or if you are a man with testosterone deficiency you can be at increased risk and environmental factors such as smoking can put you at increased risk too. Looking at that bone that you have over your right shoulder, how does someone know or maybe they don’t that they have that situation going on, or do something unfortunate have to happen like a fall, a bump? Very important point. When the architecture of your bone gets affected, you will not always notice, you won’t always note, which is why it is so important to screen for this disease and those high risks as we get older. Unfortunately, symptoms may not come until you have a fracture and it is recognized that as much as one thrid of the spinal fractures don’t have symptoms until later on you start to develop some back pain and that’s maybe your first sign, but that can happen months after your fracture.

DISCLAIMER: The information and opinions expressed in the programs on this channel and website are intended to address specific questions asked or situations described in each particular program, are for educational purposes only, and are not designed to constitute advice or recommendations as to any disease, ailment, or physical condition. You should not act or rely upon any information contained in these programs without seeking the advice of your personal physician or a qualified medical provider. If you have any questions about the information or opinions expressed, please contact your doctor or other medical professional.