What Is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to weaken and grow brittle as they become more porous and less dense. It happens because your body doesn’t create new bone tissue to replace the old. When this happens, bones break more easily. Even slight stresses on bones may produce tiny fractures that produce cause chronic, nagging pain and discomfort. Ribs, hips, wrists, and spine are most susceptible to osteoporosis, which becomes more common as individuals age. Osteoporosis affects both genders and all races. But those at highest risk seem to be white and Asian women, especially older women who are past menopause. Also, you should be vigilant for osteoporosis if there’s a history of hip fractures in your family. Typically, there are no symptoms in the early stages of osteoporosis. But once a certain level of bone loss has taken place, the following symptoms may occur. * Back pain, caused by a fractured or collapsed bones in your spine. * Loss of height over time. * A stooped posture. * Bone breaks that occur much more easily than expected. Treatment for osteoporosis includes medications, a healthy diet and weight-bearing exercise. The purpose of this video has been to provide quick, basic information about osteoporosis. But remember, you should always rely only on a doctor for a diagnosis of any symptoms you may be experiencing.