There are no early signs of osteoporosis that can be felt. After menopause, pain and broken bones occur when it becomes severe. The back and hip bones are the most common areas affected. Fifteen percent of older women who break a bone will die within three months of their injury. Typically they die from a blood clot, lung infection or heart attack.
Many women are never able to fully walk again after their injury.
Most white women will have some osteoporosis as they age. The key is to slow it down or prevent it. Young women should make sure they are getting enough calcium in their diet and plan a lifetime of weight bearing exercise such as walking. In older women, the combination of diet, exercise, and hormone therapy will help. Estrogen, the female hormone, plays an important role.