A bone density test, also called a bone mineral density (BMD) test, reveals information about the overall health of your bones. As people grow older, they often develop osteoporosis, a condition in which the bones lose strength, mass and density. Certain health conditions and medications can also cause bone loss. The only way to identify low bone density and diagnose osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, is to have a bone density test. This is significant because, if detected early, osteoporosis can be treated and prevented.
Considerations
A booklet published by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services titled "The 2004 Surgeon General's Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis: What It Means To You" presents statistics regarding bone health of persons in the United States. Each year, approximately 1.5 million older Americans get fractures because of weakened bones. A fracture in an elderly person is often the beginning of a major decline in overall health. One in five people who suffer a hip fracture goes to a nursing home within a year of the fracture. Bone density testing can play a major role in reducing these statistics by identifying persons who are at risk for fractures so that treatment can be administered.
Function
The primary purpose of a bone density test is to determine if you have, or are at risk of developing, osteoporosis. If you have osteoporosis, a bone density test is used to help monitor its progress. The testing can help prevent fractures by detecting low bone density before a fracture happens, and it can predict the chances of having a fracture in the future.
Risk Factors
Certain factors make some people more likely to develop osteoporosis and suffer broken bones. These risk factors include age, being small and thin, being female and having a low-calcium diet. Heavy consumption of alcohol, smoking and a lack of vitamin D are also risk factors for developing osteoporosis.
Who Should Have It
According to guidelines set forth by the National Osteoporosis Foundation, all women 65 years old and older and all men 70 and older should have a bone density test. Women younger than 65 who are postmenopausal with at least one risk factor and men aged 50 to 70 with at least one risk factor should also have the test. Other recommendations for a bone density test include any man or woman over 50 who has suffered a broken bone, postmenopausal women who have stopped hormone replacement therapy and women going through menopause who have certain risk factors. Your doctor may also recommend the test if you have a medical condition or disease or have taken medications that can contribute to bone loss. In some cases, men with prostate cancer and women with breast cancer who have undergone certain treatments should have a bone density test.
Warning
Osteoporosis is a silent disease. You can't feel your bones deteriorating, and you may not realize it's happening until you experience a fracture. A bone density test can be a valuable tool in preventing such fractures by alerting you to any deterioration that may need treatment.
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