(HealthDayNews) -- One of the best ways to avoid osteoporosis (soft bones) is to know its risk factors and warning signs.
Country Meadows Retirement Communities offers this list:
- You're thinner than normal.
- You suffer persistent back pain, which may indicate a spinal fracture, a possible symptom of osteoporosis.
- You break a bone after a relatively minor fall.
- You've taken steroids over a 3-month period. This can cause rapid bone loss.
- You smoke. This doubles your risk of having an osteoporotic fracture.
- You don't get enough calcium.
- You have kidney stones.
- You have thyroid trouble.