Osteoporosis: The Facts
Osteoporosis is a silent and preventable disease , which is characterised by a reduction in the amount of bone in the skeleton. It is associated with an increased risk of fractures after minimal trauma, and causes pain and deformity. It becomes more common as you get older.

You may not be aware that you have this disease until you experience pain in the arms, shoulders or back, loss of height, or break a bone after a minor bump or fall.

The commonest sites of fractures are the hip, spinal vertebrae, and the wrist.

In Ireland, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 20 men, by the age of 60 , will have suffered a fracture due to osteoporosis. 1 in 2 women will suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis at some time in their life. Of those, 10-20% will die within 6 months due to complications of this fracture. Of the remainder, half will lose their independence of living.

How is it Diagnosed
The simplest, quickest way to assess the density of bones is by using Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA-Scan).

The DEXA Scan uses a very small amount of x-rays (one tenth of the dose of a single chest x-ray) to accurately measure the density of the bone at the distal radius(wrist). This is a test recommended by the Royal College of Physicians 2001 "Osteoporosis Clinical Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment."

It is a simple, painless, safe test, which is carried out at our premises at Baalsbridge Hse, Charlotte Quay. There are no special preparations for the test. It takes about 15 minutes.

You will be given a printout of your results, and recommendations for any steps you need to take, and this will usually include attending your family doctor to discuss the results.

Who is at Risk?