Osteoporosis Screening For Post-Menopausal Women

Approximately 40% of women over 50 will suffer a bone or spine fracture related to osteoporosis. Despite increased awareness of the magnitude and consequences of osteoporosis and recommendations for screening and treatment from several groups, osteoporosis is under-detected and inadequately treated in the United States. The most common sites of fracture are the hip, spine and wrist. The risk of osteoporosis related fractures rises in post-menopausal women. These fractures often carry with them chronic pain, reduced mobility, loss of independence, and especially in the case of hip fracture, an increased risk of death. It is simple and straightforward to screen for osteoporosis. Please discuss this with me at your next treatment.
This was recently discussed in one of my journals, Spinal News International www.spinalnewsinternational.com
While osteoporosis rates are higher among women and then among men, and rates are also higher for Whites than other races, it is still true that 50% of Americans older than 50 years will be at risk for osteoporotic fractures. Because the likelihood of fractures increases substantially with older age, fracture numbers are projected to rise as the population ages. Screening can apply to both men and women and is apparently a good idea according to the Annals of Internal Medicine, and recently discussed in Spinal News International.  A simple ultra-low-dose X-ray over a tiny area of bone will show us your bone density, and is typically covered by insurance, although occasionally requires pre-approval. Talk to me!