Lancaster Orthopedic Group offers bone density testing to determine your bone density health. The bone density test is a painless, non-invasive procedure in which a measurement of your bone mineral density is produced to determine your risk of osteoporosis. Licensed and registered x-ray technologists administer this test. It is the only way to detect low bone density and diagnose osteoporosis or osteopenia.
People can have osteoporosis without any signs or symptoms. When you have osteoporosis, your bones become weak and are more likely to break. Because it is a disease that can be treated, an early diagnosis can make a difference. At any age, it is never too late to take steps to protect your bones and prevent fractures.
There are risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing osteoporosis. The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to get osteoporosis and broken bones. Some examples are frame size, older age, being female, family history, low calcium intake, lack of vitamin D, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption.
Osteopenia refers to bone mineral density (BMD) that is lower than normal BMD but not low enough to be classified as osteoporosis. Having osteopenia means there is a greater risk that, as time passes, you may develop BMD that is very low compared to normal for your age and sex, known as osteoporosis.
Your healthcare provider may recommend a BMD test if you are: