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Bone Density
Testing for Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a progressive decrease in bone density which can cause bones to break
easily. Fractures of the spine, hip and wrist are most common but fractures of other bones
such as ribs, humerus and pelvis are not uncommon. One third of women over 65 will have
vertebral fractures. By extreme old age, one of every three women and one of every six
men will have had a hip fracture.
Osteoporosis is the result of inadequate accumulation of bone tissue during growth and
maturation and excessive losses thereafter. Early prevention of osteoporosis is crucial to
prevent fracture complications.
Preventative measures include increasing your calcium intake, exercising, stopping
smoking and decreasing alcohol intake. Medication therapy including estrogen
replacement, if appropriate, is also important. These same measures can also benefit
those who already have osteoporosis to help protect against further bone loss and
fractures.
We are pleased to be able to provide our community with a method for measuring bone
density to diagnose possible osteoporosis. We have recently upgraded our densitometer
system - recognized by the Osteoporosis Society as a safe, accurate
diagnostic method. The scan is a painless procedure completed in about 30 minutes. Dr.
David Weidensaul at the Clinic has received specialized training in this field and is
available for consultation.
For more information call (620) 669-2730.
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