Osteoporosis literally means the condition of having porous bones. This condition causes bones to become brittle and weak to the point that even ordinary, everyday stress on the skeleton can lead to bone fractures. Osteoporosis is essentially an advanced stage of decreased bone density. As such, a common test for osteoporosis is a bone mineral density (BMD) test.
The most frequently used and most highly recommended of these tests is a DEXA, or dual energy x-ray absorption, test. This test is non-invasive: you'll remain dressed, you won't receive any injections, and the entire x-ray process will only take 15 minutes. The results of the DEXA test are given as two numbers: your T-score and your Z-score. Understanding these results will be helpful in determining your risk of osteoporosis.
Instructions
1. Compare your DEXA test T-score to normal scores. The T-score is based on optimal bone density for your gender. A score of -1 or higher is considered fine. Between -2.5 and -1 is indicative of low bone density or osteopenia, which is reversible but dangerous. Lower than -2.5 means that you have full-on osteoporosis. In general, the lower the bone mineral density, the higher the risk of a fracture.
2. Look at your DEXA test Z-score. This score is weighted to consider factors like age, weight and ethnicity. If your Z-score is less than -1.5, that indicates your bone density is significantly lower than others in similar circumstances. This suggests that other factors like diet or underlying medical conditions may be afoot.
3. Know which score is most appropriate for you to consider. It's recommend to use Z-scores rather than T-scores for children, younger men, and premenopausal women. T-scores are most often used for perimenopausal women.
4. Consult your doctor. He or she may want to perform further tests, suggest lifestyle changes such as new dietary patterns or changes in physical activity, or prescribe medications to help build bone density.
5. The National Osteoporosis Foundation has treatment guidelines for men 50 or older and postmenopausal women. Most patients who have T-scores of -1 and above don't need an osteoporosis medication. People with T-scores ranging between -1 and -2.5 might need to consider taking an osteoporosis medication, depending on additional risk factors. Everyone who has a T-score of -2.5 and below needs to consider an osteoporosis medication.
Tags: bone density, DEXA test, osteoporosis medication, bone mineral, bone mineral density, factors like
