What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a common systemic disease in which bone becomes fragile due to the reduction of bone tissue and is more prone to fracture particularly in the hip, spine and wrist area. One in two women and one in five men in the UK will suffer a fracture after the age of 50 and there are 3 million people in the UK alone suffering from osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis remains a symptomless condition until a bone is broken! However, having osteoporosis does not automatically mean that your bones will break, it just means that there is a greater risk of fracture occuring from a minor bump or fall than for someone with normal bone density. There are also a number of risk factors that help to determine how high your risk of breaking a bone is, such as age, gender, family history of fracture, smoking, low body weight, late puberty, early menopause, hysterectomy, diet, lifestyle, chronic disease and medication.

To find out if you have any risk factors associated with osteoporosis you can take the International Osteoporosis Foundation 1 minute Risk Test.

Diagnosis

Although osteoporosis is a major health concern in the UK it has not yet been given a high priority or been accepted as a major burden to society. As a result, diagnosis is not often made until a bone has been broken. We are living in an ageing population, which means the incidence of osteoporosis is growing! It is estimated that the number of osteoporotic fractures will double over the next 50 years if changes are not made into how the disease is diagnosed, treated and therefore prevented.

The preferred method of diagnosis is by use of a bone density scanner (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry). There are a number of different DEXA scanners in the UK that use different body areas to take a bone density reading from. The most accurate and reliable method is by Central DEXA scan which measures the spine and the hip, however due to the size and cost of these scanners most  are located within a hospital setting and require a referral through your GP. Peripheral DEXA scanners take a bone density reading from the forearm or heel and due to their portability are much more available both in general and private practice.

At the Chiltern Health Centre, we provide an Osteoporosis Screening Service by use of a peripheral DEXA scan that measures bone density at the forearm. The scan itself takes approximately 2 minutes and is a simple and painless procedure that uses a very low dose of radiation. The cost of this service is usually £100.00 but in order to raise osteoporosis awareness and give people the opportunity to know whether they are at risk, we are offering a FREE scan at our Sutton clinic.

So if you are concerned about your bone density or think you are at risk of osteoporosis, call us now to book your FREE DEXA scan.

For more information about osteoporosis, bone health, fragile bones and fractures visit the National Osteoporosis Society to download a copy of their “All about Osteoporosis” booklet.