Osteoporosis is a bone disorder characterized by weakening of the bones. The weaker your bones are, the more likely they are to break. In serious cases, bones can break from a simple bump or sneeze. Osteoporosis is often called a silent disease because many people do not know they have it until a fracture occurs. There are many risk factors for osteoporosis: certain health conditions, age, gender, alcohol use, smoking, family history of osteoporosis, and more.
The most commonly fractured areas in someone with osteoporosis are the hips, spine, and the non-dominant forearm. There are the sites that we scan at Lebanon Internal Medicine Associates (LIMA) when patients come in for their bone density scans. A bone density scan—also called a DEXA scan—is a scan that uses low dose radiation to measure the strength of your bones and diagnose osteoporosis or any weakening of the bones (osteopenia). A doctor’s order is required for this type of scan.
At LIMA, we take pride in providing our patients and providers with the most accurate scans, which is why our technologists are certified through the International Society For Clinical Densitometry (ISCD). We have four doctors within the practice who are certified clinicians through the ISCD and analyze every DEXA scan prior to the ordering provider receiving the result. Our facility is accredited through the ISCD as the Central Pennsylvania Osteoporosis Center. This means we meet the gold standards that the ISCD sets forth.
May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month, and at LIMA we are doing everything we can to show people just how important it is to know the strength of your bones. With osteoporosis, you cannot discriminate based on gender—men can have osteoporosis too, not just women. Younger people can have weakening of their bones as well, not just people above the age of 65.
70% of women over the age of 50 are impacted by severe bone loss and most do not know it until they experience a fracture: One in two women over the age of 50, and one in five men, will experience an osteoporosis fracture.
Once women go through menopause, their bones start to weaken more rapidly than before.
We encourage patients to advocate for themselves because it is important to know before it is too late.
While there are medications to aid in bone health and increase bone mass, there are other ways you can help your bones before they become weak: diet changes, weight-bearing exercises, and walking every day.
Speak to your provider about ordering a DEXA bone density scan. If you have additional questions or would like to schedule, you can call LIMA radiology at 717-273-6706 extension 1166. We are happy to answer your questions even if you do not schedule your scan with us.
