How Osteoporosis Affects Women

Learn what is Osteoporosis and how it affects women and their health.

Kathy Smith: So Dr. Silver about two years ago I wrote a book on menopause and at that time I found that every women over forty is really interested in osteoporosis. Tell me exactly what is osteoporosis? Dr. David Silver: Osteoporosis is basically blood-borne disease. We know in women especially after menopause that they are at risk for developing this disease when they lose bone to the point when the risk of fracturing increases, specifically in the hip, the spine and the wrist. And what's nice is that we have better diagnostic techniques and medications now, they are clearly things we can do about it to prevent these things from occurring. Kathy Smith: What is the first step to take? Dr. David Silver: The first thing we can do is a very simple test called the bone density, it takes less then five minutes and we get immediate results that can tell you whether or not you are at risk for developing this disease. But clearly things such as appropriate nutrition, good calcium intake and good exercise can all go a long way towards preventing this disease. Let's go ahead and do the bone density. All we are going to need you do is lie down on the table on your back and we'll go head and get started. Kathy Smith: Okay great. Dr. David Silver: The formal name is called the Dexa scan. It's a little almost laser looking like, its going to scan your spine and your hip and it's going to tell us what the bone density is. Kathy Smith: So which areas of the body should we be most concerned with? Dr. David Silver: Spine is the area that's most at risk for developing osteoporotic fractures and the hip is the area that most dangerous to develop osteoporotic fractures. The light will look at the bone and give us an idea of how strong or how dense your bone is and from that number we are able to tell whether or not you are risk or already have osteoporosis. Kathy Smith: At what age should we start to worry? Dr. David Silver: We know that after age thirty that you can slowly loose bone almost every year unless you do other things to make sure that you help yourself. Again the exercise, the diet, the good calcium intake, and what we can do is we can see how you compare that and we know that when your bone density drops a certain percentage below that of the average thirty year old that when your risk of having a fracture begins to increase. It actually already completed the spine exam that's how quick it is and Ken is now going to position you for the hip exam. One of the things its important to understand about osteoporosis it's a so called silent disease. In other words you don't necessarily know you have it unfortunately it's late because once you break a bone that's beyond when we want to know that you have the disease. Kathy Smith: What about insurance coverage for this test? Dr. David Silver: Bone density is covered by almost all major insurance plans in fact it's federally mandated because we know that a woman who reaches the age of 50, if not treated properly has a 50% risk of developing an osteoporotic fracture sometime during the life. That's it, that's just easier it is well done, so we'll have the results, let me go take a look of them. You got a very good news, your bone density is wonderful all those years of good exercise and good diet had paid off, in fact in your spine you have the bone density of a 30 year old. You guys have the same as a 30 year old about 10% above the average for your age and if you look your hip not quiet as good but still well within the normal range. So, what you need to do is keep doing exactly what you are doing, keep doing the good exercise, the healthy diet, taking your calcium supplements and you should be in good shape. Kathy Smith: And when should I come back for my next one? Dr. David Silver: I would probably say in 3-5 years that way we can see if there has been any change, but clearly you are in great shape and nothing else to worry about. Kathy Smith: All right.