Bone Density Test

After a conversation with my friend last day,i understood the importance for bone density scan as Pap test or mammogram.

Bone density tests turn out to be a good predictor of fracture risk.Minimizing the risk is important,because the older we are,the more serious a fracture can be-often resulting in lengthy hospitalization and long term loss of your mobility.The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends all women aged 65 and over,as well as women and men after age fifty who experience fractures, get a bone density test.They also suggest that younger women who have gone through menopause and have one or more risk factors (such as family history of spine fractures) get tested, too.Despite those guidelines, many physicians say that all average, healthy women should get a bone density test when they enter menopause.Because bone loss tends to speed up in the years after menopause, so getting a baseline idea of where you stand as you enter menopause gives you something to compare later scans to.

Also women who have thyroid disease, should consider a bone density test,as they are more likely to have lower bone density.

Using the Bone Density Test results.

Depending on the test results, your health care provider may suggest a number of actions, from starting medication that helps maintain or build bone, to urging you to exercise more and pay attention to your calcium and vitamin D intake.