Healthy bones are literally the foundation for a healthier life. Your bones provide the scaffolding and structure for your muscles. Bones also protect your organs and allow you to move, bend and walk.
Bones are not static though, they are constantly changing as old bone is broken down and new bone is formed.
This day to day, hour to hour remolding process continues over the course of our lifetime. As we age, however, the process does tend to slow down and we begin to lose bone mass, producing slightly less than what gets lost in the ongoing shuffle.
The aging process tends to put us at greater risk for osteoporosis, a bone disorder that makes bones weaker and more brittle in our later years. The word “osteo” actually comes from the Latin word for bone. “Poro” means “porous,” which is a good way of describing the spongy, fragile bones it represents. Women are more prone to developing osteoporosis than men, in part due the fact that females tend to have less bone mass than men to begin with.
Besides gender, bone health can be impacted by a lack of physical activity, a diet that does not provide enough calcium, use of tobacco and alcohol, certain medications, age, genetic predisposition, hormone levels (in both men and women), and illness.
Know Your Bone Health Status
In order to protect your bone health, it is a good idea to have regular scans. This is especially true if you have a history of certain bone related disorders or breakage. One of the most accurate tests is a painless scan known as a DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) or DEXA test, also called Bone densitometry. This sophisticated procedure employs a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce incredibly detailed pictures of the spine in order to measure bone loss. It is fast and non-invasive, and requires no special preparation on your part. It is also the most accurate way to determine how healthy your bones are.
If you are concerned about your bone health, or have been diagnosed with a bone disorder such as osteoarthritis, DXA is the gold-standard for measuring the mineral density of your bone. You owe it to yourself to protect your bone health, and DEXA can help.
If you need a bone scan such as DEXA or other diagnostic imaging tests, get the exceptional care you need from one of our board-certified radiologists in the in Lake Worth, Wellington, Belle Glade, or Royal Palm Beach areas. Please call Independent Imaging at (561) 795-5558, or request an appointment online today. We’re here for your health.
