OSTEOPOROSIS — A SERIOUS DISEASE
Osteoporosis is the medical term for a weakening of the bones which often occurs with aging. It is responsible for many hip and arm fractures and collapse of the vertebrae (spinal bones), with gradual loss of height and curvature of the back (“dowager’s hump”).
Such skeletal softening has been attributed mostly to loss of calcium and phosphorus from the body. However, as we shall see in the following articles, other factors play a part as well.
The incidence of osteoporosis rises most dramatically in women after the menopause. For this reason the disease has been linked with hormonal changes, and many women take estrogen to prevent osteoporosis. Others fear that this may bring on cancer of the uterus, so they hesitate to take the hormones. For more information about this very important question, please read the article, “Should Women Take Estrogens to Prevent Osteoporosis?” in the section of the book on Hormones.
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