Detection

There are no obvious physical signs of osteoporosis. It can therefore go unnoticed for years. Quite often the first indication is when a person breaks one of their bones in what might have been normally a minor accident.

If a doctor suspects osteoporosis, he or she can order a bone scan to test the strength or density of the bones. This scan is now available at many hospitals throughout the country. The results will tell how much risk there is of fractures. It takes about fifteen minutes while the bones are X-rayed. The dose of radiation is tiny – about the same as spending a day out in the sun. The technique is called Dual Energy X-ray Apsorptiometry and is known as DEXA.

Prevention

There is a great deal that can be done throughout life to guard against the condition.

• Healthy diet. Children and adults need a diet which contains the right amount of calcium. The best sources of this are milk, cheese and yoghurt, and foods such as tinned sardines. Skimmed milk actually contains more calcium per pint than full fat milk. The recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,000 milligrams (mg) or 1500mg if over 60 years. A pint of milk a day, plus a normal amount of other foods which contain calcium will do the trick. Read the rest of this entry »