Health Advice
- Weight Management
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- Acne
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- Aneurysm, abdominal aortic
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- First aid
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- Leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic
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- Addiction
- Addison's disease
- Adenoids and adenoidectomy
- Frozen shoulder
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- Alcohol misuse
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- Alexander technique
- Rhinitis, allergic
- Indoor allergy
- Mountain sickness
- Alzheimer's disease
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- Amniocentesis
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- Anaesthesia
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- Angelman syndrome
- Anger management
- Angina
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- Arteriography
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- Dog bites
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- Smell sense, loss of
- Antacid medicines
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- Antisocial personality disorder
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- Hearing tests
- Bird flu
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- Skin rashes in babies
- Weaning
- Lumbago (low back pain)
- Septic arthritis
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Weight loss surgery
- Barium enema
- Bartholin's cyst
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- Bedbugs
- Nocturnal enuresis
- Behçet’s disease
- Facial paralysis
- Tongue pain or soreness
- Prostate enlargement
- Beta-blockers
- Bicarbonate test
- Binge eating
- Biopsy
- Bipolar disorder
- Spider bite
- Eye, black
- Bladder cancer
- Cystitis
- Bladder stones
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- Blood donation
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- Blood groups
- Coughing up blood
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- Urine, blood in the
- Vomiting blood
- Septicaemia
- Hypertension
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- Blood tests
- Blood transfusion
- Blushing
- Bromhidrosis (body odour)
- Bone cyst
- DXA scan
- Bone marrow donation
- Stem cell transplant
- Borderline personality disorder
- Bottle feeding
- Botulism
- Rectal cancer
- Polyps, bowel
- Leaky gut syndrome
- Orthodontics
- Brain abscess
- Head injury, severe
- Brain tumour, benign (non-cancerous)
- Brain tumour, malignant (cancerous)
- Brain tumours
- Breast abscess
- Breast cancer
- Male breast cancer
- Screening for breast cancer
- Nipple discharge
- Mastitis
- Breast lump
- Breastfeeding
- Shortness of breath
- Osteoporosis
- Fractured collarbone
- Hip fracture
- Leg, broken
- Fractured nose
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- Toe, broken
- Tooth, broken or knocked out
- Smelly feet (bromodosis)
- Bronchitis
- Teeth grinding
- Thyroid eye disease
- Bulimia
- Burns and scalds
- Heart bypass
- Caesarean section
- Food poisoning
- Cancer
- Thrush
- Thrush, men
- Thrush, oral - adults
- Thrush, oral - babies
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Cardiovascular disease
- Cartilage damage
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- Rib, cervical
- Smear test
- Sore lips
- Chemotherapy
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- Chest pain
- Herpes zoster virus
- Statins
- Kidney disease, chronic
- Leukaemia, chronic lymphocytic
- Leukaemia, chronic myeloid
- Cirrhosis
- Claustrophobia
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- White coated tongue
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- Herpes simplex virus
- Cold
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- Colostomy
- Coma
- Combined contraceptive pill
- Pneumonia
- CT scan
- Concussion
- Hole in the heart
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- Conjunctivitis
- Constipation
- Contact dermatitis
- Corns and calluses
- Coronary heart disease
- Vegetative state
- Topical corticosteroids
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- Cosmetic surgery
- Cough
- Counselling
- Leg cramps
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- Undescended testicles
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- Cystic fibrosis
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- Date rape drugs
- Thyroiditis
- Hearing impairment
- Dehydration
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- Teething
- Tooth decay
- Fluoride
- False teeth (dentures)
- Depression
- Dyspraxia in children
- Diabetes insipidus
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- Dialysis
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- Nutrition
- Rectal examination
- Double vision
- Nummular eczema
- Shoulder dislocation
- Diverticular disease and diverticulitis
- Lightheadedness
- Down's syndrome
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- Thirst
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- Periods, painful
- Indigestion
- Swallowing problems
- Dyspraxia (adults)
- Swimmer's ear
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- Ebola virus disease
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- Endoscopy
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- Epidural
- Epilepsy
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- Impotence
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- Ocular cancer
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- Family planning
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- Wind
- Seasonal flu
- Nail patella syndrome
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- Foot pain
- Frostbite
- Gallstones
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- Genetics
- Herpes, genital
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- Iron overload disorder
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- Ingrown hairs
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- Tendon repair, hand
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- Nits
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- Hearing and vision tests for children
- Myocardial infarction
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- Heart transplant
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- Heat exhaustion and heatstroke
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- Periods, heavy
- Hepatitis A
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- Herbal medicines
- Hernia, femoral
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- HIV and AIDS
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- Testosterone deficiency (hypogonadism)
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- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Painkillers, ibuprofen
- Shoulder tendon, trapped
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- Inquest
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- Natural family planning
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- Type 2 diabetes
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- Obesity
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- Occupational therapy
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- Paracetamol
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- Physiotherapy
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- Poisoning
- Reflux in babies
- Potassium test
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- Radiation
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- Roundworm
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- Sexual health clinics
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- Vomiting in children and babies
- Sinus headache
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- Sleep paralysis
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- Spina bifida
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- Squint
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- Tension-type headaches
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- Thyroid cancer
- Tics
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- Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC or transferrin) test
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- Traction
- Travel vaccines
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- Vitamins, minerals and supplements
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- Warfarin
- Weight loss (unexpected and unplanned)
- Whiplash
- Wisdom tooth removal
- X-ray
- Yellow fever
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Read moreNHS Choices - Causes of osteoporosis
(10/11/2014)
Osteoporosis causes bones to become less dense and more fragile. Some people are more at risk than others.
Bones are at their thickest and strongest in your early adult life and their density increases until your late 20s. But you gradually start losing bone density from around the age of 35.
This happens to everyone, but some people develop osteoporosis and lose bone density much faster than normal. This means they are at greater risk of a fracture.
Risk groups
Osteoporosis can affect men and women. It's more common in older people, but it can also affect younger people.
Women
Women are more at risk of developing osteoporosis than men because the hormone changes that occur in the menopause directly affect bone density.
The female hormone oestrogen is essential for healthy bones. After the menopause (when monthly periods stop), oestrogen levels fall. This can lead to a rapid decrease in bone density.
Women are at even greater risk of developing osteoporosis if they have:
- an early menopause (before 45 years of age)
- a hysterectomy (removal of the womb) before the age of 45, particularly when the ovaries are also removed
- absent periods for more than six months as a result of overexercising or too much dieting
Men
In most cases, the cause of osteoporosis in men is unknown. However, there's a link to the male hormone testosterone, which helps keep the bones healthy.
Men continue producing testosterone into old age, but the risk of osteoporosis is increased in men with low levels of testosterone.
In around half of men, the exact cause of low testosterone levels is unknown, but known causes include:
- the use of certain medications, such as oral glucocorticoids
- alcohol misuse
- hypogonadism (a condition that causes abnormally low testosterone levels)
Risk factors
Many hormones in the body can affect the process of bone turnover. If you have a condition of the hormone-producing glands, you may have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.
Hormone-related conditions that can trigger osteoporosis include:
- hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)
- disorders of the adrenal glands, such as Cushing's syndrome
- reduced amounts of sex hormones (oestrogen and testosterone)
- disorders of the pituitary gland
- hyperparathyroidism (overactivity of the parathyroid glands)
Other risk factors
Other factors thought to increase the risk of osteoporosis and broken bones include:
- a family history of osteoporosis
- a parental history of hip fracture
- a body mass index (BMI) of 19 or less
- long-term use of high-dose oral corticosteroids (widely used for conditions such as arthritis and asthma), which can affect bone strength
- having an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia
- heavy drinking and smoking
- rheumatoid arthritis
- malabsorption problems, as experienced in coeliac disease and Crohn's disease
- some medications used to treat breast cancer and prostate cancer which affect hormone levels
- long periods of inactivity, such as long-term bed rest
You can read more about who is at risk of osteoporosis and broken bones on the National Osteoporosis Society website.