Bones play an important role in your body. They protect vital organs like your heart and lungs, and provide the support you need to move freely.
Poor bone health can increase your risk for fractures, especially in your wrist, spine and hip. Broken bones generally take months to heal and can be painful. In some cases, broken bones may not heal properly and impact your ability to walk. Since you begin losing bone mass as you age, it’s important to keep your bones strong by caring for them properly.
Some risk factors for bone loss include:
- You have fractured a bone
- You have had illnesses or been on medication that may weaken your bones
- You are underweight
Bone density testing
LVHN offers different types of bone density testing, also called bone mineral density (BMD) testing. These tests help your provider understand the extent of bone loss you’ve experienced:
This ultrasound test can detect bone loss in your heel and indicate whether further testing is needed.
This is the most common bone density test. With this test, two X-ray beams pass over your bones to measure bone density. The test uses low radiation to get accurate bone density results.
If you’ve been treated for osteoporosis, we may use a QCT test, which is a more advanced BMD test performed with a CT scanner.
Bone loss treatments
If you are concerned about bone loss, Lehigh Valley Health Network has a variety of experts who can care for you, including orthopedic, OB-GYN and primary care clinicians. Read more about our programs below.
Orthopedic Bone Health Program
Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute’s Bone Health Program provides comprehensive care for all aspects of bone health including prevention and treatment. To help optimize your bone health, our specialists provide:
- Physical exam to review any recent fractures and medical history
- Imaging studies to understand your current bone density
- Lab tests to help determine underlying cause of bone loss
- Rehabilitation and fall prevention to correct imbalance and stability issues
We take a team approach when it comes to maintaining your bone health. After an evaluation by an orthopedic specialist and advanced imaging, a customized treatment plan will be developed that may include:
- Orthopedics
- Rehabilitation
- Nutrition
Women and bone loss
Women are much more likely to suffer from bone loss or osteoporosis than men. As women approach menopause, the loss of estrogen causes loss of bone density, which can result in brittle bones that break easily.
Many women don’t experience symptoms of bone loss until they suffer from a fracture, however, some other symptoms include:
- Losing height by an inch or more
- Posture changes that cause you to stoop forward
- Lower back pain
- Shortness of breath caused by compressed disks in the spine
Since women are more likely to experience bone loss, screenings are recommended for women age 65 and older. Screenings may be recommended at a younger age for women who have risk factors such as:
- History of previous fractures
- History of certain medication
- Medical conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome or renal failure
- Low body mass
- Family history of osteoporosis
- Lifestyle habits that could affect bone health, such as smoking or excess alcohol use
Schedule a yearly checkup with your OB-GYN or primary care clinician to evaluate your bone health.
Get a bone density scan
Your health care provider may have prescribed this test for you. With a MyLVHN account, you can schedule your diagnostic test online.
Schedule through MyLVHNMake an appointment
Learn more about our services or make an appointment by calling us at 888-402-LVHN (5846).