Bone Health
Bone Health - by Bryan Jick, MD, FACOG
As we age, the health of our bones assumes greater importance. Osteoporosis is a disease where bones become brittle and can break (fracture) easily. A common serious break is a hip fracture. Osteoporosis can be treated, but even better it can be prevented, however, prevention has to start many years BEFORE the disease develops.
Bone Density Testing (DXA)
Bone density testing is presently the only simple and widely available method for determining if someone has osteoporosis.*
Joint pains are not a symptom of osteoporosis. The first symptom of osteoporosis might be a bone fracture in the lower spine (vertebral compression fracture) sometimes diagnosed by a loss of height in a woman older than 50. These can be painless fractures. Osteoporosis or Osteopenia (low bone mass) can be diagnosed before a fracture occurs.
Bone Density testing is done using an X-ray technique called DXA or DEXA (which stands for Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry). There are two types of DXA bone density tests available, called central and peripheral. Central DXA is an X-Ray of the hip and lower spine. It is usually done in a hospital or imaging center. This is what we typically order. Peripheral DXA is done at mobile health fairs and is not as reliable.
*Other methods that can diagnose osteoporosis are CT scans (high radiation) and REMS (new, but promising, ultrasound technology, not widely available).
Bone Health Resources
Below is a list of links for more information about Bone Health. (We offer this information as a public service and are not able to independently confirm or verify the accuracy of the content.)
RESOURCES
The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) : The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) is the leading national health organization dedicated to promoting strong bones for life, preventing osteoporosis and broken bones, and reducing human suffering through programs of public and clinician awareness, education, advocacy, and research.
Optimal Bone Health - Dr. Doug Lucas: THE 4R BONE OPTIMIZATION METHOD. Dr. Doug Lucas is a double Board-Certified physician specializing in optimizing "healthspan" and bone health.
The Save Institute: The Osteoporosis Reversal Program's revolutionary multi-pronged RESTORE approach gets to the root cause of your bone loss, stops it, and helps you rebuild strong and healthy bones.
Bone Coach: Kevin Ellis is the founder of BoneCoach™ & Osteoporosis "Thriver". He is an Integrative Nutrition Certified Health Coach, and a Stronger Bones Solution™ Program Instructor.
OsteoStrong Training: OsteoStrong® is not a gym, diet, supplement, pharmaceutical, or a medical treatment. OsteoStrong® is a unique place where you can go to improve your overall health by focusing on the one thing we all have in common: a skeletal system. [There is an OsteoStrong center here in Pasadena]
FRAX Plus - What is your risk of future fracture?
VIDEOS
VIDEO: The Osteoporosis Risk Equation
Osteoboost
What is Osteoboost?
"Osteoboost is a wearable medical device, worn low around the waist, that delivers targeted vibration therapy directly to the hips and spine – the areas most at risk of debilitating osteoporotic fractures. Its unique and patented combination of dynamically calibrated frequency and amplitude has been proven in a pivotal clinical trial to reduce the loss of spine bone density by 85% and bone strength by 83%."
Resources