Your bones add support and help your body move. When you’re young, the body builds bone faster than it removes it, but that slows as we age. Bone disorders can cause your skeleton to weaken at an accelerated rate, increasing the risk of a fracture. Additionally, certain disorders that raise or lower the calcium in the blood can cause many serious symptoms and lead to weaker bones over time. Our bone and calcium experts help you take the right steps towards preventing the weakening of your bones and fractures by strengthening weak bones and maintaining healthy blood calcium.
Osteoporosis literally means ‘porous bone,’ and is a disease that weakens bones, making them at risk for sudden and unexpected fractures. This silent disease typically progresses without symptoms or pain and often is not found until bones fracture. Many people may not know they are suffering until their bones are so weak that a sudden injury causes a low-impact fracture or collapsed vertebra.
Following a comprehensive medical examination, your doctor may recommend a bone density measurement. A DEXA, or bone mineral density (BMD) test, can identify osteoporosis, determine your risk for fractures, and measure your potential response to treatment.