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- What is osteoporosis?
- Symptoms of osteoporosis
- Causes of osteoporosis
- Prevention of osteoporosis
- Risk factors for osteoporosis
- Complications of osteoporosis
- When to see a doctor about osteoporosis
- Diagnosis of osteoporosis
- Conventional treatment of osteoporosis
- Alternative/complementary treatment of osteoporosis
- Living with osteoporosis
- Caring for someone with osteoporosis
Initial diagnosis of osteoporosis involves the following:
- Medical history of symptoms - the doctor will ask a series of questions about any family history of osteoporosis and also about the severity and duration of symptoms, including the onset, to determine if there is a risk factor of osteoporosis
If this warrants further investigation to confirm diagnosis, then the following tests will be requested:
- CT scan - a computerised tomography scan is a test which is usually requested for assessing bone loss in the lower spine area as it can measure mineral content of the trabecular bone. This is useful as the trabecular bone is most commonly affected in women during menopause
- DEXA - the dual energy x-ray absorptiometry test is a safe and accurate way to measure the total bone content in the hips, spine, forearm and even the whole body. This test is similar to an x-ray and lasts only a few minutes
- X-rays - an x-ray can detect the disease in affected bones, as then tend to appear smaller and thinner than healthy bones. An x-ray is most useful in cases where there are definite signs of osteoporosis development
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The other tests that will be performed to aid diagnosis are:
- Bone density test - this is a scan in which a small amount of radiation measures bone mineral density. The results of this test can be:
- Normal - there are no visible signs of bone mineral loss, nor of osteoporosis
- Asteopenic (low) - there are some signs of bone mineral loss, some softness and brittleness of the bones and some bone loss, which suggests that if it continues that osteoporosis will develop
- Osteoporotic (osteoporosis) - there are definite signs of bone mineral loss, the bones appear very brittle, soft, porous and weak which suggests that osteoporosis exists
The Bone Density Test is covered by Medicare (in Australia) for the following groups of people:
- Aged over 70 years (male and female)
- Being diagnosed with osteoporosis (any age)
- Having at least one fracture due to osteoporosis (any age)
- People taking corticosteroids long-term (any age)
- Women under 45 who have not had any periods for at least 6 months
In the USA, the Osteomark-NTX is the bone densitometry test which is used to determine bone density and diagnose osteoporosis.
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< 7: when to see a doctor 9: conventional treatment > Last reviewed: 17 September 2007 || Last updated: 18 February 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
