Q. My mother has severe osteoporosis. As she got older she lost several inches of height and by the time she was 70, she looked like a bent, frail old lady. Last year she broke her hip and is now in a nursing home. I am 50, and have just become menopausal. My doctor tells me I am also at high risk of developing osteoporosis. Is there anything I can do? (I do take calcium pills every day, but my grandmother had breast cancer so I am reluctant to take hormone replacement therapy.)

A. First, the good news. There have recently been some exciting new breakthroughs in the treatment of osteoporosis that, for the first time, may allow doctors to treat this "bone breaking" disease effectively. The bad news is osteoporosis appears to be hereditary, and if your mother or grandmother had it, you have a good chance of getting it too.

More information on osteoporosis

Headaches

Q. Every few weeks I get a really terrible headache for no apparent reason. I'm worried that I have a brain tumor. Am I being ridiculous or could I really have a tumor?

A. I cannot tell you how many of my patients who suffer from headaches have asked the same question. In reality, a headache is rarely the first sign of brain tumor (less than .05 percent of all brain tumors present as severe headaches). Think about it: 42 million Americans seek medical help for headaches each year; yet only 11,000 cases of brain tumors are diagnosed annually. You don’t need a Ph.D. in mathematics to figure out that things other than tumors cause the vast majority of headaches.

Other symptoms, along with a headache, could be signs of a tumor-or any number of other medical problems, some serious, some not. For example, any change in vision, hearing, tremors, unsteadiness of gait and unexplained falls could indicate a tumor or a neurological disorder. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor, but do not assume the worst. The odds are in your favor.

More information on headaches

Exercise

Q. I am in my mid-50s and for the first time in my life, I’m seeing signs of middle age spread. Although I lead an active life, I have never exercised on a regular basis. Is it too late for exercise to make a difference?

A. Until recently, conventional wisdom dictated that the human body begins to deteriorate at around age 45 and there was little to be done about it. It is true that by about that time, there is a noticeable decline in muscle and an increase in body fat, and with each passing decade the average adult loses up to seven pounds of lean body mass. What was not known, however, is that this decline is not inevitable, and in fact, a rigorous exercise program can prevent and even reverse some of these changes. We now know that at any age--from nine to 90--exercise can make a real difference in how you look and feel. And there are solid studies that can prove this, such as the one performed by Dr. Maria Fiatarone at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged, a long-term care facility in Boston. Dr. Fiatarone developed a carefully planned strength training program to counteract muscle weakness for sedentary women and men in there 80s and 90s. Three days a week, for 45 minutes at a time, the men and women in the study worked out with weights and on exercise training machines under close supervision. At the end of 10 weeks, Dr. Fiatarone found an average of 113% increase in muscle strength among the study's participants. The exercisers also experienced a 12% increase in walking speed and a 38% increase in stair climbing power. What I find particularly interesting is the fact that the people who participated in the study also began to take part in more of the recreational and educational activities offered at the home. In sum, the exercise not only improved muscle mass and strength but also had a profound impact on mobility and lifestyle. Think about it: If a 10-week strength training program can have such a dramatic effect on the bodies and minds of women and men in their 80s and 90s, just imagine what it can do for a woman in her 50s or 60s!

What Women Need to Know: From headaches to heart diseases and everything in between, by Marianne Legato, M.D., and Carol Colman
Copyright (c) 1997 by Marianne Legato, M.D., and Carol Colman. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster.

The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be used for medical advice. You should consult your physician or health care provider on a regular basis. You should consult your physician immediately with any problem about which you are concerned.