A diagnosis of osteoporosis, whether it is primary or secondary osteoporosis, indicates that damage is being done to the bones in the body. Sometimes bone loss and fractures can lead to, be caused by, or happen in tandem with additional, related conditions.
Low back pain is common among sufferers of osteoporosis, as the breakdown of bone in the vertebra of the spine can cause compression and nerve pain. Osteomalacia, sometimes known as "soft bones" - or rickets in children - is a condition that can weaken the bones, but in a different way from osteoporosis. In osteoporosis, there is an imbalance between bone formation and bone loss. In osteomalacia, bone formation is in balance with bone loss, but the bone that's formed is too soft.
Menopause is a strong causal factor in many cases of osteoporosis. Since estrogen bears a strong influence on the bone-building cycle, when women hit menopause and their ovaries stop producing estrogen, they begin losing bone at a much more significant rate than they are producing new bone.
Additionally, certain cancers, like multiple myeloma, may cause degeneration of bone or otherwise affect the bone-building cycle.