Osteoporosis is a disease that can be recognized in a timely manner by appropriate tests. In the course of osteoporosis, there is a slow and gradual decalcification of the bones. It is not easy to see that the calcium in the bones is depleting too quickly. Only research can recognize the risk of osteoporosis when it can be effectively prevented.

Osteoporosisdevelops gradually, usually without symptoms, so you need to perform the appropriateteststo recognize bone decalcification in time. Already after the age of 30, bone tissue begins to weaken. It is a physiological process because the activity of the enzymes involved in the metabolism of vitamin D and its absorption decrease with age. The level of calcium in the blood also lowers. As a result, bones lose an average of 1% a year. your weight. However, there are many factors that can greatly accelerate the development of osteoporosis. This means that bones become brittle and porous, their strength decreases, and even with minor injuries it is relatively easy to break. Progressive bone demineralization does not cause pain that would alert you to developing osteoporosis. However, there is a characteristic symptom of it - a slight decrease in height.

Osteoporosis - height measurement

As you age, your height naturally decreases (about 1/2 cm per year), because the intervertebral discs gradually flatten.

Measuring your height (2-3 times a year) is a way to capture the symptoms of osteoporosis yourself.

When the decline is greater, it is very likely to be due to osteoporosis. Brittle vertebrae break (compress) and the entire spine shortens - it is assumed that breaking one vertebra causes a reduction in height by 2.1 cm. Such fractures do not necessarily have to be painful - sometimes the patient only learns about the poor condition of his spine during the examination. Therefore, measuring your height (2-3 times a year) is a way to capture the symptoms of osteoporosis yourself. It should be done in the morning, no more than an hour after getting out of bed, because growth slows down slightly during the day. It is also worth observing your figure carefully - the appearance of a bulge in the back (the so-called widow's hump) and leaning forward are also characteristic signs of the disease.

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Osteoporosis - how to interpret the test results?

  • ultrasonography (most often of the calcaneal bone or phalanges of the hand) is only an orientation test. Estimates fracture risk, but gives no information onbone mineral density
  • densitometry is a very precise (with an accuracy of 1%) determination of the mineral density of the bone tissue. For this purpose, X-rays are used. There is no need to prepare for the test, it is painless and takes only a few minutes. The measurement is taken in the spine and neck of the femur. The densitometry result shows whether the bone condition is normal (from 1.0 to -1.0), there has been a reduction in bone mass, the so-called osteopenia, which means the risk of osteoporosis (from -1.0 to -2.5), or there is already osteoporosis (below -2.5). If osteoporosis is found, further tests are needed.

The most precise test that will detect osteoporosis is densitometry. It allows the determination of the mineral density of bone tissue with an accuracy of 1%.

  • blood and urine analysis allows you to exclude other diseases that may cause osteoporosis, as well as to determine bone metabolism. The blood tests most often include: ESR (Biernacki's test), hemoglobin level, the number of red and white blood cells and their morphology, the level of calcium, phosphorus, acid and alkaline phosphatase, and creatinine. In the daily collection of urine - incl. calcium, phosphorus and creatinine levels. You can also mark the so-called Bone markers - These are substances that leak into the blood and urine when bones are forming or destroying. As a result, the pace of the reconstruction and disintegration processes can be precisely determined. Due to the high cost, the test is mainly performed to monitor the treatment of osteoporosis
  • X-ray shows the shape and internal structure of the bones, detects fractures. Usually, this is how the thoracic and lumbar spine are examined (the most common fractures), and additionally, the femoral neck and radius (to see if there are structural disorders). The radiograph reveals only large (more than 30%) mineral losses, but it provides the doctor with information to distinguish diseases other than osteoporosis that cause a decrease in bone mineral density.

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