Lower Back Pain: What Every Woman Should Know About Bone Health, Related Tests And Their Importance

Bone health: A lack of bone mass might cause you to develop osteoporosis, which makes bones brittle or weak. Bone health is crucial to overall health and quality of life. Women need to take special care of their bone health since they are more susceptible than males to developing osteoporosis. As a result of osteoporosis, bones really become fragile and weak and a fracture can occur even from a minor stressor like laughing or activities like bending over.

The World Health Organization estimates that 30% of postmenopausal women have osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become fragile and weak and can raise the risk of fractures. There are 61 million osteoporotic individuals in India alone, 80% of whom are female.

Dr. Sunita Kapoor,Director and Consultant Pathologist at City X-ray & Scan Clinic shares the importance of tests women must undertake to keep a check on their bone health.

Let’s now have a look at a few tests or screening procedures women should undergo to check their bone health:

Orthopedic Health Screening

For women who have a family history of joint issues, arthritis, or osteoporosis, an orthopaedic health screening is advised. This examination often entails looking for any anomalies or wear-and-tear symptoms in the bones and joints. Common orthopaedic examinations include bone densitometry, discography, skeletal scintigraphy, myelography, and electromyography. The majority of these tests rely on time-tested technology like computed tomography, DEXA MRI, ultrasound, and X-ray.

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Bone density scan or DEXA scan

To determine how dense or strong your bones are, a bone density scan, also known as a DEXA scan, employs low-dose X-rays. This test is also known as a bone mineral density test, a dual-energy x-ray, or a BMD test. Depending on her risk factors for osteoporosis, a woman should get this test at least once starting at age 58 and possibly much younger.

In addition to recognising and preventing osteoporosis, the test is frequently crucial in determining body fat and lean body mass. By assessing the body's fat content or the mineral density of your bones, the diagnostic technique can determine how easily fractured and injured your bones are. If you have a higher than average risk of developing bone conditions like osteoporosis, a doctor could advise getting the scan or test.

Also Read: Female Hygiene: Screening Tests Women Should Have Postmenopausal

A bone density scan is primarily used to identify osteoporosis and osteopenia, estimate the risk of future fractures, and assess the efficacy of osteoporosis treatment. Women who are 65 years of age or older should undergo a bone density scan since they are at a greater risk of losing bone density, which can cause fractures.

Who may be at risk of low bone density?

Low bone density is more likely to affect women who have very low body weight, one or more fractures after the age of 50, a loss of at least half an inch in height within a year, and a family history of osteoporosis. In addition, insufficient calcium and vitamin D intake, smoking, binge drinking, and lack of physical activity can all lead to lower bone density in women.

Importance Of Undergoing Bone Health Screening Tests For Better Movement

The most popular and reliable method for determining a woman's bone density is a DEXA scan. To confirm a diagnosis or to determine whether a treatment for bone loss is effective, your doctor may, however, request additional testing. Preferably, a bone density scan should be performed on all females over 50 to check for osteoporosis. 

Building stronger bones is the best technique to stop the bones from deteriorating because prevention is always preferable to treatment. In order to prevent osteoporosis later in life, it is crucial to strengthen bones during childhood and adolescence.

Women Should Take Into Account These Important Facts For Stronger Bones:

- Bone density decreases with age so exercising regularly as well as keeping a balanced diet that is rich in calcium and Vitamin D.

- Calcium and vitamin D are essential for bone health they not only promote bone strength and density but also help in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

- Weight-bearing exercise is important such as walking, running, jogging, dancing, hiking etc to help build and maintain bone density.

- Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can harm bones and can lead to pain, disability, and reduced quality of life.

- Certain medications or analgesics can affect bone health by interfering with the body’s ability to absorb calcium, leading to a higher risk of bone loss and fractures.

- Regular bone density tests are crucial help in assessing the risk of osteoporosis, while also monitoring bone health over time.