New Technology at Williamson Memorial Hospital Helps in Fight Against Osteoporosis
Twenty-five million Americans have osteoporosis (most common bone disease). Fifty thousand people die each year because of it. Yet, most of us know little about protecting ourselves from this disease. The bone disease osteoporosis is caused by more bone cells being reabsorbed than being deposited. This imbalance results in a progressive loss of bone density and a thinning of bone tissue. Osteoporotic bones are more porous and therefore more vulnerable to fracture.
Williamson Memorial Hospital has a DEXA Bone Densitometer, an effective way to measure bone mineral density, thereby determining risk for osteoporosis.
Who Should Get a Bone Density Scan?
Anyone at risk for osteoporosis should get a bone density scan. Postmenopausal women are at highest risk, because estrogen (which falls after menopause) preserves bone strength. But men get osteoporosis, too. Some guidelines include:
- Women over age 65: All women over the age of 65 should get a DEXA scan, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
- Postmenopausal women under age 65: For women under 65, a bone scan is not universally recommended.
- Men over the age of 70 (as recommended by The National Osteoporosis Foundation)
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a bone scan for women with risk factors for osteoporosis:
- History of bone fracture as an adult
- Current smoking
- History of ever taking oral steroids for more than 3 months
- Body weight under 127 pounds
- Having an immediate family member with a fragility fracture (a broken bone from a minor injury, suggesting osteoporosis).