Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become less dense. Bones are more fragile and are at increased risk of fracture. It is estimated that 1 in 20 people are affected by osteoporosis. The difficulty is that osteoporosis is that it is a ‘silent disease’ – you cannot see or feel your bones becoming less dense. Osteoporosis affects women and men. In fact, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 will at some point have a broken bone because of osteoporosis. Often the first warning sign is a broken bone, most commonly in the wrists, hips or spine.

What are the risk factors for osteoporosis?

Many factors can put people at increased risk of osteoporosis, including:

• Family history of osteoporosis
• For women, an early menopause, hysterectomy or irregular/infrequent periods
• For men, low levels of testosterone
• Back pain
• Change in the curve of the spine or loss of height
• Smoking and drinking heavily
• Reduced weight bearing exercise
• Being underweight, having an eating disorder or having a low-calcium diet
• Corticosteroid use (for asthma or arthritis)
• Medications for epilepsy
• Conditions that affect food absorption (eg Crohn’s disease or coeliac disease)

How can osteoporosis be detected?

If you have any of the risk factors for osteoporosis, it may be sensible to have your bone density measured, as early diagnosis and treatment are to be recommended.

Bone density, from which fracture risk can be determined, can be assessed by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. The National Osteoporosis Society considers DEXA scanning to be the most accurate and reliable means of assessing bone density and strength. This is a simple, painless procedure suing very low doses of radiation (1/60th of background radiation) and takes only a few minutes.

Can I have my bone density measured?

If you think you are at risk if osteoporosis and would like to have your fracture risk determined, by answering a few simple questions we can determine whether or not it is appropriate for you to have a peripheral DEXA scan.

What happens during the scan?

You remain fully clothed and seated comfortably. The forearm is placed in the scanner and the handgrip held so that the arm is still for 2-4 minutes whilst the scan is taken.

The scan results are generated by the software and are compared with standard values to determine whether there is an increased fracture risk. In accordance with the WHO criteria and the National Osteoporosis guidelines in peripheral DEXA scans, the results will place you in one of three groups:

• Normal bone mineral density – no increased fracture risk
• Indicative of osteopaenia – possible increased fracture risk
• Indicative of osteoporosis – increased fracture risk

If the result indicates osteopaenia or osteoporosis we would like, with your permission, to inform your GP so that appropriate further action may be considered.

If the result indicates that you may have osteoporosis, you should discuss this with your GP who may advise you of the appropriate management of this condition.

If the scan result indicates that you may have osteopaenia, your GP may consider referring you for a hip and spine DEXA scan to confirm the result. If you are not offered a hip and spine scan, it may be sensible to have another peripheral scan in two years time. In the meantime, it may be beneficial to take other steps to improve your bone density.

What can I do to improve my condition if the scan indicates I may have osteopaenia or osteoporosis?

• There are weight-bearing exercises which, if undertaken regularly, can help improve bone density. People with osteoporosis should take exercise that avoids high impact.
• There are many drugs that can be prescribed by GPs for people with osteoporosis that successfully increase bone density or prevent further bone loss.
• Supplementation
  • The Department of Health recommends an intake of 1200mg of calcium a day; a level that is hard to achieve through diet alone, particularly if the diet contains little or no dairy produce.
  • Magnesium, increasingly absent from the food we eat, is known to help in the deposition of calcium in the bones – a ratio of 2:1 calcium:magnesium is often recommended.
  • Boron and Vitamins D and K facilitate the utilisation of calcium

A good supplement should contain more than just calcium and be either chewable or dissolve easily (try in a glass of warm water).

DEXA Scanning now available at Salse Chiropractic Clinic

The next available date for scanning is January 30; if you wish to be considered for a peripheral DEXA scan, please click below:

DrSalse@aol.com