Osteoporosis: how is the diagnosis made? Here are all the steps to take and the exams to do!
Italy is the country with the highest incidence of hypovitaminosis D. It is mainly elderly women (80%) who suffer from it, but 50-year-olds are also deficient in the sun vitamin (40%). This results in a significant increase in the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis, two enemies of bone health
The exams to do
The main tests useful for diagnosing osteoporosis are radiography (which can show a lower density of the bone structure or, in advanced cases, even spontaneous fractures), MOC or bone densitometry (which establishes how many grams of calcium and others minerals are present in the bone segment examined), blood and urine tests (to better define the diagnosis and treatment). At the discretion of the doctor, for particular conditions, other tests such as CT, nuclear magnetic resonance and ultrasound may be requested.
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Anamnesis is done before the exams
Before any examination, the specialist will do an anamnesis capable of identifying the presence of more or less important risk factors for osteoporosis:
- Gender (osteoporosis has a higher incidence in women)
- Age (high risk> 65 years for women and> 70 for men)
- Weight (obesity and excessive thinness are predisposing factors)
- Menopause (high risk if before age 45)
- Familiarity
- Smoking habits (smoking damages health in general, bone health in particular)
- Eating habits (consumption of milk and cheese)
- Cases of previous fractures
- Prolonged use of drugs (prolonged use of steroids damages bones)
In the presence of one or more of these risk factors, the doctor will evaluate whether or not to do more in-depth examinations, the report of which, the experts suggest, should be read by the reference specialist (orthopedist or rheumatologist) in order to avoid unnecessary alarmism and identify the best way to intervene.
A hope for all those who find themselves having to follow therapies with cortisone drugs comes from the availability of therapies capable of buffering bone damage, without therefore requiring the interruption of therapies that are important for the patient.
For more information on how to keep your bones healthy, visit the website www.salutedelleossa.it. Furthermore, Bone Health Week will take place from 5 to 10 October and it will be possible to collect information material in one of the more than 2,500 pharmacies participating in the initiative.
