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What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a common disease in which you lose bone mass or bone density. If you think of your bone as a piece of Swiss cheese, then osteoporotic bone is bone that is mostly holes. This type of bone is weak and more likely to fracture even with little or no trauma. Fractures can be of any bone, but usually they occur of the spine/back, the hip, or forearm. Osteoporosis can lead to serious limitation of activities.
How do you detect Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a common disease in which you lose bone mass or bone density. If you think of your bone as a piece of Swiss cheese, then osteoporotic bone is bone that is mostly holes. This type of bone is weak and more likely to fracture even with little or no trauma. Fractures can be of any bone, but usually they occur of the spine/back, the hip, or forearm. Osteoporosis can lead to serious limitation of activities. There is now a safe, painless test that takes less than 30 minutes to perform. It's called a DEXA test. For the test, you lie on a soft padded table. The DEXA machine passes a tiny amount of X-Rays through your hip and/or spine. We then use a computer to analyze the information and give you the results. The test determines if you have normal bone mass, low bone mass (osteopenia) or osteoporosis. We will discuss your results with you. Your referring physician will determine the therapy options for you.
Is it expensive?
Imaging for Women offers a low cost screening exam of the forearm / heel or a standard exam of the spine & hip. We keep our prices affordable for all patients.
Who is at risk for developing Osteoporosis?
As many as 50% of women 50 years or older may have low bone mass or osteoporosis. Anyone can get osteoporosis. These are the greatest risk factors:
- Caucasian or Asian
- Early Menopause
- Estrogen Hormone Deficiency
- Surgical Removal of Ovaries
- Strong Family History of Osteoporosis
- Sedentary Lifestyle
- Smokers
- Using Certain Medicines
- Athletes without periods
- Prednisone / Corticosteriods
- Excessive Thyroid Hormone
Preparation
Wear clothes without zippers, belts, or buckles. It is best to not take calcium tablets for 24 hours before the exam.
How do you treat Osteoporosis or less severe forms of low bone mass?
There are various forms of treatment including drug therapy, calcium supplements, and exercises. Your physician can discuss various treatment plans with you if needed.