A woman’s chance of fracturing her hip from osteoporosis is equivalent to her chance of breast, uterine and ovarian most cancers — merged. And half of all girls in the United States who are about age 50 will crack a bone as a final result of osteoporosis, a ailment that occurs when your bone quality declines and bone weakens.
Osteoporosis can make it so straightforward for your bones to crack that even day to day actions this sort of as stretching, twisting, bending also far backward or ahead, coughing, or bumping into anything can be a hazard. This can be critical because broken hips can direct to a shorter lifespan, and damaged spines can bring about an inability to stand up straight, paralysis or, from time to time even loss of life.
One particular in five girls about age 50 will build the bone situation in their life span, so HealthyWomen recently conducted a study of 1,072 women involving the ages of 35 and 64 to assess awareness of the ailment as properly as know-how of screening for and prevention of this prevalent issue.
As with so numerous disorders, awareness and prevention are crucial to much better results when it arrives to osteoporosis, still our survey disclosed that only one particular in four of our respondents were anxious about their bone health.
DEXA scan — a measure of bone well being
Dual electrical power X-ray absorptiometry, named a DEXA or DXA scan, measures bone mineral density (BMD) and is advisable for everybody above age 65. Even so, healthcare suppliers (HCPs) may endorse a DEXA scan previously if they have a explanation to suspect or want to rule out osteoporosis or osteopenia, which is when a person has reduced BMD but it is not reduced ample to be osteoporosis. Prevalent cases where an HCP could buy a scan at any age involve:
- A spouse and children member with bone overall health problems
- A current bone crack
- Use of medicines linked to bone overall health issues
- One more prognosis, these kinds of as most cancers, that could compromise bone well being
Considering the fact that our respondents have been less than the age of 65, it is not surprising that 81% of them did not know their bone density score. Of all those who did know, the the greater part were respondents who are anxious about osteoporosis or osteopenia, together with gals who are getting treatment for both problem.
Of our respondents who ended up identified with breast cancer and encouraged that they have been at threat for osteopenia or osteoporosis, 65% hadn’t had a DEXA scan in the previous two years despite their amplified danger.
Eshani Agrawal, 28, is an example of anyone who has experienced a DEXA scan at a youthful age as a outcome of currently being in a superior-chance classification. She has ulcerative colitis, a disease of the colon, and has taken medicines to beat flare-ups that from time to time have an effect on bone wellness. “Since I was at a reasonably significant dose, the medical doctor requested me to get a DEXA scan,” she explained. “It seems that there may possibly have been some hurt finished.” She discussed that she’s discouraged that her bone overall health could be influenced by medication and wonders if some tooth sensitivity may possibly also be linked.
Donna Leslie, 65, has been on the lookout for bone health troubles given that she was 50 for the reason that her older sister and mom equally have osteoporosis. When Leslie’s mother was in her 50s, she rolled her ankle and broke it. Conscious of her mother’s history, Leslie obtained a DEXA scan at 53 to present her healthcare workforce a baseline range so they could watch her BMD via the many years. The scan showed she already experienced osteopenia. Her HCP advised her to get a lot more calcium in her diet but didn’t acquire any other action. At 62, she had another scan and learned her score had dropped to -2.5, a rating that suggests osteoporosis. Her HCPs then commenced aggressively dealing with her affliction, prescribing once-a-year infusions which, a few decades later on, have led to an improve in bone mass.
Only a person in 4 gals had been warned of attainable bone decline
Just as Agrawal seasoned bone wellbeing problems as a aspect effect from medicine for other conditions, Anna*, 69, was identified with osteopenia soon after a DEXA scan uncovered reduced BMD scores in both hips. She experienced been getting a hair-reduction treatment that she hadn’t been instructed could have an affect on bone well being. Anna’s not alone in her surprise — the HealthyWomen survey revealed 1 in four women who were diagnosed with breast most cancers had been not suggested by their HCPs that some prescription drugs, these kinds of as specified most cancers therapies, as well as cancer alone, may perhaps put their bone wellbeing at chance.
Anna was also astonished by her low BMD since she was overweight, and she’d often considered osteopenia and osteoporosis are ailments that underweight or typical bodyweight women establish, which is not essentially real. Each she and Leslie have due to the fact learned that training can gradual the development of the illness and now stroll routinely, between other measures such as taking in calcium-abundant foods and maintaining up with HCP observe-up visits.
Regretably, our survey taught us that, in spite of osteoporosis being a widespread problem among girls, lots of aren’t conscious of the prevention and therapy techniques they can get to ward off the disorder. It’s essential for each individual girl to fully grasp how they can retain their bones healthier and to discover more about bone well being. Be absolutely sure to discuss to your HCP about your individual danger.
*Anna is not her serious title.
This source was produced with guidance from Amgen.
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