Bone Density Testing

For many years, the only way to determine if someone was suffering from osteoporosis was if they had already suffered a bone break. At that point, treatment is limited and there is little that can be done aside from treating the pain from this disease. There are no symptoms for osteoporosis, so early detection can only be achieved by being proactive and closely monitoring bone health and your bones continue to age. Thanks to modern technology, bone density testing can provide you a glimpse of the condition of your bone health before the effects of bone loss become irreversible or cause injury.

Called densitometry or a DXA scan, this bone density testing uses x-rays to measure how many grams of calcium and other bone minerals are in a segment of bone. Bone density testing is often used to:

If you are interested in bone density testing, speak with your health care provider. He or she will be able to give you more information about the procedure, how it may benefit you to know your bone health, and what steps you can take to prevent osteoporosis and bone loss.