What to know about osteoporosis after menopause

Osteoporosis often develops quietly: bone becomes less dense and more fragile without causing symptoms until a fracture occurs. A healthcare professional can review your personal risks and decide whether bone density testing or treatment is appropriate.

Bone is living tissue that is continually broken down and rebuilt. Oestrogen helps limit bone breakdown. When oestrogen falls around menopause, this balance may shift towards loss of bone strength. The effect varies between people and can be influenced by age, family history, body size, smoking, alcohol use, low calcium or vitamin D intake, limited physical activity, and some medicines or medical conditions.

Osteoporosis is different from ordinary aches or stiffness. It may be suspected after a fracture from a minor fall, or after height loss and a change in spinal posture caused by vertebral fractures. A wrist, hip, or spine fracture can affect mobility and independence, which is why prevention and early assessment matter even when you feel well.

Arrange a clinical review if you have had a low-impact fracture, have a close relative with a hip fracture, use long-term steroid medicine, or have a condition that affects bone or balance. A bone density scan may be recommended, alongside a review of fracture risk and medicines.

Choose regular weight-bearing activity, such as walking, and include strength and balance exercises suited to your ability. Avoid smoking, keep alcohol intake within local health guidance, and ask about calcium and vitamin D from food or supplements rather than starting high-dose supplements on your own. Make the home safer by improving lighting, clearing loose rugs, and using support if balance is uncertain.

If medication is prescribed, take it exactly as directed and report troublesome effects. Treatment choices depend on bone density, fracture history, kidney health, other medicines, and your preferences; they should be reviewed over time.

Contact a clinician promptly after a fall or injury if you have new pain in the hip, back, wrist, or another bone, swelling, bruising, difficulty standing, or reduced ability to use a limb. Severe hip pain, inability to bear weight, or a limb that looks shortened or unusually positioned needs urgent assessment.

Book an appointment for new persistent back pain, noticeable height loss, or a rounded upper back, especially when these changes follow a minor movement or fall. Seek urgent help for sudden severe pain, loss of feeling or strength in both legs, or new loss of bladder or bowel control.

Useful questions include: Do my menopause history, medicines, or medical conditions increase my fracture risk? Should I have a bone density scan? Which exercises are safe for my spine and balance? Do I need calcium or vitamin D advice? If treatment is suggested, how will we monitor it and what side effects should I report?