Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become brittle and weak, causing them to break much more easily.

With improved bone health you limit your fracture risk particularly for your hips, your wrists, and your back.

Often referred to as the “silent disease,” osteoporosis usually progresses without obvious signs until your first fracture.

Everyone’s at risk. But certain people, particularly women, are more prone.

The primary reason? Changes that happen during menopause through loss of estrogen.  That’s why it’s often associated with women who are over fifty.

Doing all you can to be aware, and take as many preventive precautions as you can is the best advice we give.

Here are some other risk factors to be aware of:

• Caucasian women are more susceptible to osteoporosis.
• Women who are small-boned or thin or who have a history of the disease in their family are prone to the disease themselves.
• Low calcium intake (even as a child), a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and alcohol abuse, certain drugs, especially steroids and those used for rheumatoid arthritis and gastrointestinal problems, can all cause bone damage.

Regular X-rays are not the best way to assess your bone density.

To detect osteoporosis accurately, this 30-minute enhanced X-ray exam is quick, simple and painless. It is today’s standard for measuring bone loss. It helps Dr. Chick make  helpful recommendations to improve your bone health.

You may want to schedule your bone density exam today and we can answer any questions for you.

You can also visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation web site www.nof.org
for more information.