Osteoporosis

A bone density test (also termed "bone mineral density test" or "BMD test") is the gold standard diagnostic procedure used to detect osteoporosis.

Most adults are calcium and vitamin D deficient. This deficiency can cause the body to strip calcium from the bones, causing the bones to get weaker.

Treatment of a spinal fracture caused by osteoporosis is usually two-pronged, including both treatment of the fracture, and treatment of the underlying osteoporosis that led to the fracture.

There's a great deal of conservative options for dealing with osteoporosis (i.e. exercise, medications), but if a spine fracture occurs, surgeries such as kyphoplasty are sometimes a necessary course of treatment.

Osteoporosis is a thinning of the bones that causes them to become porous and fragile. The good news is that osteoporosis is largely preventable and treatable.

It is not as common for men to watch for the signs of osteoporosis in midlife. At-risk men may benefit from early testing, detection, and treatment.

An accurate and timely diagnosis can significantly reduce the adverse affects of a vertebral compression fracture.

Smoking and excessive alcohol intake contribute to bone loss and weakened bones, making Osteoporosis worse, not better.

Patients at risk for osteoporosis can work with their treating physician to develop a plan for slowing, or even reversing, bone loss. By Spine-health.com.

Actions such as smoking, an imbalanced diet, and alcohol abuse can all lead to osteoporosis, especially if the genetic disposition is already there in a patient.