Signs & Symptoms of Osteoporosis in Hip Bones

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that typically affects older people and women, though it is not limited to these populations. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, "in the U.S. today, 10 million individuals are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis."

Definition

• Osteoporosis is generally a pain free disease. The National Osteoporosis Foundation defines it here: "Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures, especially of the hip, spine and wrist, although any bone can be affected." People with osteoporosis must avoid falling and trauma as much as possible, as their bones will fracture with little injury.

Symptoms

• You can have osteoporosis for decades without knowing it until you have a hip fracture, as the condition is symptom free. The fracture has to give you pain in order for you to notice it. According to Medicinenet.com, "some osteoporotic fractures may escape detection for years when they do not cause symptoms." Hip fractures are most likely to occur after a fall.

Transient Osteoporosis of the Hip

• This a different type of the disease. As opposed to the other, transient osteoporosis is not permanent, it is reversible and it is painful at the onset. It is most obvious in the hip. Six-month pregnant women and middle-aged men are most at risk. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, symptoms include "sudden onset of pain, typically in the front of the thigh, the side of the hip, the buttocks or the groin, no previous accident or injury to the joint that would trigger pain, limited motion--pain intensifies with turning movements--
  pain intensifies with weight bearing and may lessen with rest, pain gradually increases over a period of weeks or month and may be so intense that it is disabling, a change in gait as the patient tries to protect the joint and ease the pain."

  Cause of disease is unknown. It generally goes away after 6 to 12 months. Protect your bones during the length of the disease and take medication to relieve any pain. Do flexibility and range-of-motion exercises as per recommendation of your doctor when the pain subsides.