Hearing "you have osteoporosis" is shocking to a lot of people. Some people heard the news in the hospital after a fracture, others learned about it after having a bone density test. Osteoporosis is most common in postmenopausal women, people with a family history of osteoporosis, and people with small stature. But other people can also get the disease, which increases the risk of fractures. Mitigating this risk is crucial. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, about half of women over the age of 50 and about a quarter of men will experience osteoporosis-related fractures. Fractures most commonly affect the hips, spine, and wrists, but they can also affect any bone. The first question patients often ask their doctors is, can I reverse osteoporosis? Here, bone health experts answer this and other osteoporosis questions. Actually, a complete reversal is impossible, but you can suppress it. The realistic goal is to prevent fractures from occurring. You can reduce the likelihood of fractures by maintaining or improving bone density. Doing so usually involves staying active, getting enough calcium and vitamin D, and taking osteoporosis medications. Depending on the state of your bones, with medication you can gain some bone mass and get out of the range of osteoporosis. You can slow bone loss, but it doesn't equate to reversal. There are several types of osteoporosis medications on the market, which are available by prescription only: some slow the breakdown of bones, which are part of the natural and ongoing process of bone rebuilding; Others promote the growth of new bone. All classes of osteoporosis medications have possible side effects. For example, patients taking bisphosphonates, one of the most widely used osteoporotic drugs, have had rare reports of "mandibular osteonecrosis." Rare femur (thigh bone) fractures have also been reported in patients taking bisphosphonates for a long time, but it is unclear whether these drugs cause these fractures. The latest osteoporosis drug, Prolia, may cause low blood calcium levels and may increase the risk of infection because it targets a chemical in the immune system. As with any medication, you and your doctor need to weigh the risks and benefits. If you have osteoporosis, your doctor usually recommends that you take the following measures in addition to taking osteoporosis medications.