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About Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a common condition among older people, particularly postmenopausal women. Osteoporosis affects the strength of your bones and can make them fragile and more likely to break. The bones most likely to break or fracture are your spine, hips and wrist, though any bones can be affected. Osteoporosis results when your body removes bone more rapidly than it can replace it with new bone. Gradually, this causes your bone structure to weaken
and become more susceptible to fractures.
There are many factors that can determine whether or not you may be at risk of developing osteoporosis. It's important to talk to your doctor and identify those risk factors that you can change to help improve your bone health.

Women-doing-aerobics-in-pool | FightOsteoporosis.ca
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What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens the structure of your bones making them fragile and more likely to break or fracture.

Normally, your body keeps bones strong and healthy by continually replacing old bone with new bone. In osteoporosis, your body removes more bone than it replaces. This means that your bones get weaker and are more likely to fracture. When bones are seriously weakened by osteoporosis, simple movements such as bending over to pick up a bag of groceries or even sneezing heavily can cause fractures.

Am I likely to get osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is quite common in older people and more frequent in women. In some cases, it may also be associated with long-term use of certain medications such as corticosteroids. In Canada, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 have osteoporosis.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
The 2010 Canadian Osteoporosis Guidelines recommend that all postmenopausal women and men over 50 years old be assessed for osteoporosis and fracture risk factors.

Changes in your height can help doctors assess if you might be at risk of osteoporosis. The Canadian Osteoporosis Guidelines recommend that postmenopausal women have their height measured every year and anyone who has height loss should be assessed for the presence of vertebral fractures. Make sure you know your height and if you notice any changes, talk to your doctor.

If your doctor thinks that you are at risk he may send you for further assessment. Tests can accurately measure the density of your bones and can help you and your doctor make necessary decisions that may prevent fracture or further bone loss.

 

1) Bone Mineral Density (BMD) or DEXA Scans
This is a simple, non-invasive procedure that takes just a few minutes, it is done using a scanner machine that produces two X-ray beams, the amount of radiation exposure is very low, much less than that received during a regular chest X-ray. BMD scans are usually done on the lower spine and hip region. Your test results are compared to the bones of an average young adult and you’re given a T-score. If your T-score is below -2.5, you’re considered to have osteoporosis. Your doctor may repeat the BMD scan every 1-3 years.

Bone-mineral-density-scan | FightOsteoporosis.ca

2) Radiographs (X-rays)
X-rays can be used to see if you have spinal fractures. A recent study has shown 20% of people who had a spinal fracture had a second one within 1 year.




Women-doing-aerobics-in-pool | FightOsteoporosis.ca


About Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a common condition among older people, particularly postmenopausal women. Osteoporosis affects the strength of your bones and can make them fragile and more likely to break. The bones most likely to break or fracture are your spine, hips and wrist, though any bones can be affected. Osteoporosis results when your body removes bone more rapidly than it can replace it with new bone. Gradually, this causes your bone structure to weaken and become more susceptible to fractures.


There are many factors that can determine whether or not you may be at risk of developing osteoporosis. It’s important to talk to your doctor and identify those risk factors that you can change to help improve your bone health.


What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens the structure of your bones making them fragile and more likely to break or fracture.


Normally, your body keeps bones strong and healthy by continually replacing old bone with new bone. In osteoporosis, your body removes more bone than it replaces. This means that your bones get weaker and are more likely to fracture. When bones are seriously weakened by osteoporosis, simple movements such as bending over to pick up a bag of groceries or even sneezing heavily can cause fractures.


Am I likely to get osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is quite common in older people and more frequent in women. In some cases, it may also be associated with long-term use of medications. In Canada, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 have osteoporosis.


How is osteoporosis diagnosed?


The 2010 Canadian Osteoporosis Guidelines recommend that all postmenopausal women and men over 50 years old be assessed for osteoporosis and fracture risk factors. Changes in your height can help doctors assess if you might be at risk of osteoporosis. The Canadian Osteoporosis Guidelines recommend that postmenopausal women have their height measured every year and anyone who has height loss should be assessed for the presence of vertebral fractures. Make sure you know your height and if you notice any changes, talk to your doctor. If your doctor thinks that you are at risk he may send you for further assessment. Tests can accurately measure the density of your bones and can help you and your doctor make necessary decisions that may prevent fracture or further bone loss.


If your doctor thinks that you are at risk he may send you for further assessment. Tests can accurately measure the density of your bones and can help you and your doctor make necessary decisions that may prevent fracture or further bone loss.


1) Bone Mineral Density (BMD) or DEXA Scans


This is a simple, non-invasive procedure that takes just a few minutes, it is done using a scanner machine that produces two X-ray beams, the amount of radiation exposure is very low, much less than that received during a regular chest X-ray. BMD scans are usually done on the lower spine and hip region. Your test results are compared to the bones of an average young adult and you’re given a T-score. If your T-score is below -2.5, you’re considered to have osteoporosis. Your doctor may repeat the BMD scan every 1-3 years.


2) Radiographs (X-rays)

X-rays can be used to see if you have spinal fractures. A recent study has shown 20% of people who had a spinal fracture had a second one within 1 year.