According to statistics from the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), one out of every 3 women and every 5 men in the world over the age of 50 has a bone fracture or even complications due to osteoporosis.
In recent years, more and more citizens are concerned about whether they are suffering from osteoporosis, and will take the initiative to check.
There are different types of inspections available in the market. How should the public choose?
Which check is the most accurate?
Which types of citizens are at high risk and need to be checked if they have no symptoms?
Written by: Dr. Ni Si-ling, medical consultant of the medical profession and the duty secretary of the Hong Kong Osteoporosis Society
Smoking and alcohol increase the risk of osteoporosis
High-risk factors for osteoporosis can be divided into two types: congenital and acquired:
1) Innate factors:
-female
-Genetic genes
-Close relatives and family members have suffered osteoporotic fractures
-Slim physique
2) Acquired factors:
-Men and women over 50 years old
-Weakness
Fractures occurred after -40 years of age
-Women with hormone problems or early menstruation due to removal of their ovaries
-lack of exercise
-Long-term insufficient calcium intake or insufficient exposure to sunlight
-Habits of smoking and alcoholism
-Long-term use of oral steroids due to illness
Bone examination should be done if you are over 50 years old
Osteoporosis is when bones become fragile and easy to break; and it is silent. Patients often have no symptoms. Usually, they have fractures before they know they have the disease.
Therefore, citizens who are over 50 years old or have the above-mentioned high-risk factors should be checked even if they have no symptoms of osteoporosis.
If symptoms such as low back pain, hunchback, shortness, or just a slight collision will cause a fracture, it is necessary to check as soon as possible.
Dr. Ni Siling said that men and women over 50 are at risk of osteoporosis.
Normal blood calcium levels can also lead to osteoporosis
Shops provide different examination methods for osteoporosis, such as blood tests to analyze the calcium content in the blood. If the calcium content is low, you will suffer from osteoporosis.
But in fact, the calcium content in the blood is not directly related to whether you suffer from osteoporosis. Low calcium content only means insufficient calcium intake, which is a high-risk factor for osteoporosis and requires further examination.
Many people with normal blood calcium levels are also diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Some people say that ultrasound can know bone density and diagnose osteoporosis, but like blood tests, both are not the gold standard for diagnosing osteoporosis.
DEXA is the most recognized bone density examination and diagnosis in the medical profession
The dual-energy X-ray bone density meter (DEXA) is currently the most recognized bone density test diagnosis in the medical community. It uses very low-energy X-rays to examine the two most vulnerable parts of the lumbar spine or femoral joint bone. Comparing people of similar age and race in the database, classify the degree of osteoporosis according to the obtained values:
-If the T value is equal to or lower than minus 2.5, it is considered as osteoporosis, the cause of bone loss needs to be found out, and medication should be considered
-T value between minus 1 to minus 2.5 is low bone density, you need to discuss with your doctor whether to start medication, or continue to observe whether there are other high-risk factors that can cause fractures and prevent bone loss
-T value is equal to or higher than minus 1, that is, the bone density is normal
DEXA is fast, safe and can accurately measure bone density, and is not invasive. Compared with DEXA, blood tests and ultrasound have a higher rate of false positives or false negatives.
If a citizen has low back pain, the doctor will first perform a clinical examination, and then take X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging of the patient to understand the problem, such as whether there is a broken bone, lumbar spine degeneration or intervertebral disc herniation.
If you find that the lumbar spine has collapsed, you will suspect that you may have osteoporosis. Then you can arrange for a DEXA examination to diagnose whether you have osteoporosis.
Two health seminars will be held on October 20th. The President of the Osteoporosis Society/Chairman of the Medical Career Charity Fund/Orthopedic Specialist Dr. Huang Shixiong will share information on osteoporosis and degenerative arthritis, how to prevent and treat it; more Two senior physiotherapists explained and demonstrated suitable exercises.
For details, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/105653790802374/posts/630793391621742/
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Exercise more to prevent osteoporosis. Running, lifting weights, playing basketball help improve the bone quality of different body parts Fracture prevention
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