How is it detected?
The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) recommends BMD testing for all women older than 65 years; postmenopausal women younger than 65 years with 1 or more risk factors for osteoporosis, other than being white, postmenopausal, and female; and postmenopausal women who have had a recent fracture. A BMD test is a simple and painless way to help your doctor measure the health of your bones. It may also be used to monitor your rate of bone loss and response to therapy. Early on, osteoporosis is a silent disease, so you may not see any signs. However, it can eventually lead to broken bones or the disfiguring “dowager’s hump.” The good news is, if osteoporosis is detected early enough, its effects may be prevented. Ask your doctor whether you should have a BMD test—today!
